1
1
)11
,..
•.
,... ADULT
SABBATH SCHOOL
BIBLE STUDY GUIDE
The Gospel on the Street
JAN FEB MAR 1998
r
See the Difference."
The Sabbath School Lesson
VIDEOS
Those who appreciate added insight to the adult
Sabbath School lesson will welcome these videos that
enhance meaningful discussions during lesson study.
Use them for Sabbath School class or share them
with shut-ins, small groups, and those unable to attend
church. Parents and teachers in children's divisions
will appreciate this lesson tool to help them remain
involved in lesson-study time. Now everyone has the
opportunity to join in the spiritual growth found
through Sabbath School lesson discussions.
You are invited to see the refreshing difference these
videos can make for you.
US$21.95/Cdn$31.85 each.
US$75.95/Cdn$110.15 for one-year subscription (4 videos).
Available from your Adventist Book (enter.
Call toll free 1-800-765-6955.
Prices subject to change without notice.
© 1997 Pacific Press Publishing Association
Scripture
references other than from the King James Version quoted by permission in this quarterly are as follows:
Moffatt. From the Bible: A New Translation, by James Moffatt. Copyright by James Moffatt, 1954. Used by permission of
Harper & Row Publishers, Inc.
NIV. From the New International Version, copyright 1978 by New York International Bible Society. Used by permission.
NKJV. From the Holy Bible, New King James Version, copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by per-
mission.
NRSV. From the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of
the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
RSV. From the Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1946, 1952, 1971, 1973 by the Division of Christian Education
of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission.
Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide (ISSN 8750-1988) (Standard Edition). Published quarterly by Pacific
Press
Publishing Association,
1350 N. Kings Road, Nampa, ID 83687-3193, U.S.A. One-year subscription in U.S.A., $7.50; single copy, $3.95. One-year subscription to
countries outside U.S.A., $10.50; single $3.95. All prices at U.S.A. exchange. Periodicals postage paid at Nampa, Idaho. When a change of
address is desired, please send both old and new addresses.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide (Standard Edition), P.O. Box 5353, Nampa, ID 83653-
5353. Printed in the United States of America.
Editions in Braille available. Contact Christian Record Services, Box 6097, Lincoln, NE 68506.
Easy Reading Edition available. Contact Pacific Press, 1350 N. Kings Road, Nampa, ID 83687.
Copyright 0 1998 by the Sabbath SchooUPersonal Ministries Department, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 12501 Old
Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904-6600, USA.
Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide (ISSN 8750-t988)/No. 411/January-March 1998.
6
14
22
30
38
46
56
64
72
80
88
96
104
Editorial Office
The Gospel Invades Corinth
12501 Old Columbia Pike
Silver Spring, MD 20904
Divided Loyalties
The Lord of Glory,
Not Glorious Words
"Paul, Called to be an Apostle"
Reviving Christian Identity
Christian Sexuality
Food for Thought About Idols
At the Lord's Table
The adult Sabbath School Bible
Study Guide is prepared by the
Department of Sabbath School/
Personal Ministries of the General
Conference of Seventh-day
Adventists. The preparation of the
guides is under the general direction
of a worldwide Sabbath School
Manuscript Evaluation Committee,
the members of
The
which serve as consulting editors.
The published guides reflect the
input of the committee and thus do
not solely or necessarily represent
the intent of the authors.
Contents
it
r
hJ
xL J14:I
ti
1/99 91699-88
Principal Contributor
John McVay
Editor
Philip G. Samaan
Associate Editor
Lyndelle Brower Chiomenti
Editorial Assistant
Fylvia Fowler Kline
Art and Design
Lars Justinen
Pacific Press Coordinator
Glen Robinson
One Body, Many Parts—One
Church, Many Members
High Praise for Love
Worthwhile Worship
Reality of the Resurrection
Praise and Promises
1
Meet the Principal Contributor
to This Quarter's Lessons
John McVay is associate profes-
sor of biblical studies and chair of
the Religion Department at Pacific
Union College. He has been at the
college since 1985, including a pe-
riod of service as the senior pastor
of the Pacific Union College Church.
He enjoys nothing more than par-
ticipating with young adults as they
grapple with the eternal themes of
the Bible.
Born in Corvallis, Oregon, to a
pastoral family, he felt the call to
pastoral ministry early in life, fol-
lowing in the footsteps of his fa-
ther, Ken, and older brother, Bill.
While still in college, he served as
youth pastor in Des Moines, Iowa. He ministered in the Georgia-
Cumberland Conference before coming to California.
John is a graduate of Georgia-Cumberland Academy, Southern
College, Andrews University, and England's Sheffield University,
which awarded him a Ph.D. in New Testament studies in 1995. His
dissertation focused on the theme of the church in the Epistle to the
Ephesians. In 1996 John was selected by the students and faculty of
Pacific Union College as "Educator of the Year." He contributes
regularly to professional conferences and publications.
Pam Aalborg McVay, John's wife, works part-time as an obstet-
rics nurse at St. Helena Hospital. They have two children, Marshall
and Macy. The family enjoys the great outdoors, especially camping
in Northern California.
Check with your local Adventist Book
Center for the com
-
Danion book to the
Sabbath School Bile Study Guide.
If the Taj
Mahal and
sacred cows
are the only
things you
have heard
about India lately then read the stories in
MISSION
this quarter and learn about many other exciting
things that are happening there. Spicer College in
India is now serving so many students wanting a
quality Christian
education, some
women students
must live
barracks-style in
make-shift
quarters. The
Thirteenth
Sabbath Offering
you will give on
March 28 is
anxiously
awaited in the
Southern Asia
Division so they can complete the new women's
dormitory facility they have already started.
3
A collection of favorite
vegetarian recipes from
pastoral wives around
the world
320 pages
Over 750 recipes
A great gift for birthdays,
holidays, weddings,
housewarmings and
friends
is
more than a cookbook.
It is a
mission and ministry venture.
Proceeds from cookbook sales
go to support outreach activities
of pastoral wives around the
globe!
Only $14.95
plus $3.50 shipping & handling
Charge card orders: 1 (800) 982-3344
To order by mail, send check ($18.45 per cookbook, includes s & h) to:
Ministerial Supply Center/Seminars Unlimited
P. O. Box 66
Keene, TX 76059
4
Available at Adventist Book Centers
a ministry project of
Shepherdess hiternah,,,,.
1 Corinthians
The Gospel on the Street
Paul's first letter to the Corinthians is an important and surprising
document. It is important in that it is one of the earliest Christian
documents that we possess. And it provides one of the most detailed
accounts of early Christian congregations. Probably written before
the first of the Gospels, 1 Corinthians gives us access to the ground
floor of Christianity. We see Christianity as it grows, thrives, and
spreads. We see the gospel making inroads into one of the great cities
of the ancient world. In 1 Corinthians, Paul tries to equip early
Christian disciples to live the gospel in the sophisticated culture of
Corinth. He longs for his correspondents to establish a firm self-
identity as Christians, one that will stand the onslaught of social
pressure.
First Corinthians may come as something of a surprise. In writing
the letter, Paul does not sit down and compose a detached theological
essay. Instead, it is the work of a busy pastor-evangelist who ad-
dresses real issues confronting Christians at Corinth. What may
surprise us is that they faced so many problems, felt the pull of so
many temptations, and experienced such deep division among them-
selves.
This significant document, with its surprising and realistic portrait
of Christianity in the apostolic age, has much to say to us. Modern
cultures are increasingly urban ones. If the gospel of Jesus Christ is
to advance today, it must walk the streets of modern cities and find a
place in the hearts of the citizens of our world's great metroplexes.
And many of the themes treated by Paul are ones that are of real
interest to Christians of our era. We still experience fractured fellow-
ship and sometimes face one another in courtrooms. How to with-
stand the lure of sexual temptation remains a topic of importance.
We wrestle with what it means to live in view of Christ's return, the
appropriate function of spiritual gifts, and how to conduct public
worship.
However, not every issue that Paul raises is a burning one for us.
We may not find immediately applicable Paul's counsel on circum-
cision, head coverings, or food offered to idols. Even in the study of
these topics we have much to learn, for Paul consistently views issues
from a theological perspective. He drags the mundane and everyday
into the realm of the profound and the eternal. Even when the theme
seems peripheral to modern discipleship, Paul's reflections will prove
inspirational.
We may take up the study of 1 Corinthians, then, with the hope
and prayer that the God who inspired Paul to compose it will be
present with us as we reflect on these ancient words.
5
Lesson 1
December 28—January 3
The Gospel Invades
Corinth
Sabbath Afternoon
READ FOR THIS WEEK'S STUDY: Acts 18:1-18; 1 Cor. 1:1-9;
16:1-24.
MEMORY TEXT: "Who shall also confirm you unto the end,
that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of
his Son Jesus Christ our Lord" (1 Corinthians 1:8, 9).
KEY THOUGHT:
The success of Paul's mission to Corinth con-
vincingly demonstrates the power of God's grace. To the citizens of
this important city, the good news about Jesus Christ came with the
same transforming power that is available to us today.
CORINTH: HUB OF IMMORALITY OR CENTER FOR
CHRISTIAN MISSION?
We are often tempted to limit the bounds
of God's power to transform lives. The word
can't
springs all too
readily to our lips. Corinth was a large, wealthy, and geographically
important city that offered its citizens all the pressures and tempta-
tions of a bustling urban environment. To establish thriving Christian
congregations in such a place was a challenging assignment. Many
converts would come directly from paganism. And their lives, once
molded by immorality, had to be shaped by the values of the gospel of
Jesus Christ. Paul, who knew well the transforming power of God's
grace, was able to look beyond the seemingly unbeatable challenges to
see in Corinth a strategic center for Christian mission.
Do we see limitless opportunities for mission in spite of formidable
obstacles?
6
Sunday
December 28
PAUL—TENTMAKER AND PROCLAIMER (Acts 18:1-8).
With whom did Paul form a partnership in Corinth? Acts 18:1-3.
Because of an edict of Roman Emperor Claudius expelling Jews
from Rome, Aquila and Priscilla ("Prisca" in Paul's letters) came to
Corinth. The pair were highly mobile (Acts 18:18; 1 Cor. 16:19; Rom.
16:3; 2 Tim. 4:19) and were, apparently, entrepreneurs who con-
ducted a wide-ranging trade in tents and leather goods. They appar-
ently already were Christians when they arrived.
To what missionary purpose did Paul commit his Sabbaths?
Acts 18:4.
Paul's work as "tentmaker" also played an important role in his
outreach methods. "We worked night and day, so that we might not
burden any of you while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God"
(1 Thess. 2:9, NRSV). This verse suggests that Paul most likely shared
the gospel in the workplace. Rising early and working late, bent over
the workbench, we can imagine him proclaiming a risen Lord to his
customers.
What succeeding events occurred in Paul's ministry in Corinth?
How would you rate his success? Acts 18:5-8.
Titius Justus is described as "a worshiper of God" (verse 7, NRSV).
This phrase, like "[one] who feared God" (Acts 10:2; 13:16, 26; 17:4,
17), indicates a non-Jew who had been drawn to worship of the one
true God without becoming a full Jewish convert.
Acts 18:1-8, with its portrait of workplace and synagogue, opens a
window onto the large and cosmopolitan colony of Corinth, where
Greeks, Romans, and Jews mingle in commerce and worship with
people of all nations and creeds. When Paul wrote that there are
"many gods" (1 Cor. 8:5, NIV), he spoke appropriately of Corinth.
Statuary, coins, and temples reflected the worship of these gods,
including Apollo, Athena, Tyche, Aphrodite, Asclepius, Demeter and
Kore, Palaimon and Sisypus.
How successfully are you using your workplace to share your
love for Christ? What fresh strategies could you employ? Share
with your class a fresh and effective approach you may have
used in reaching out to someone.
7
Monday
December 29
DISCOURAGEMENT FROM BELOW; ENCOURAGEMENT
FROM ON HIGH (Acts 18:9-17).
Have there been times when your witness to friends and neigh-
bors seemed in vain? Compare your experience to Paul's in Acts
18:9-11.
"Though Paul had a measure of success in Corinth, yet the wicked-
ness that he saw and heard in that corrupt city almost disheartened
him. The depravity that he witnessed among the Gentiles, and the
contempt and insult that he received from the Jews, caused him great
anguish of spirit. He doubted the wisdom of trying to build up a
church from the material that he found there."—The
Acts of the
Apostles,
p. 250.
At this moment, Paul's dedication to mission in Corinth was buoyed
by a direct message from the risen Christ. The message ended with
these words, "There are many in this city who are my people" (Acts
18:10, NRSV). This message bears repeating. In your city and in mine
there are people who already belong to God. Ours is the joyous task of
discovering them!
After 18 months in Corinth, what events occurred to disrupt
Paul's ministry? How is God's promise of personal safety to Paul
fulfilled? Acts 18:12-17.
An inscription by Emperor Claudius, found at Delphi in Greece,
confirms the historical background reflected in Acts 18. It refers to
"Junius Gallio my friend, and proconsul of Achaia" and seems to date
Gallio's rule to A.D. 51/52.
Paul's dedication to his converts was not temporary. He remained
after the disturbance, completing some 18 months of ministry during
his second missionary journey (A.D. 51-52). Sometime after his de-
parture and before writing 1 Corinthians, Paul wrote them a letter,
now lost (1 Cor. 5:9), word having come from Chloe's people and
others with regard to the church (1:11; 16:17). And having received a
letter from the Corinthians themselves (1 Cor. 7:1), Paul authored
1 Corinthians around A.D. 57, before his departure from Ephesus on
his third journey (1 Cor. 16:8).
In what practical ways do you attempt to confirm the faith of
fellow believers, including those you have helped win to Christ?
Are you sometimes less attentive to people's spiritual needs after
they join the church? Why?
8
Tuesday
December 30
SAINTS ... IN CORINTH? (1 Cor. 1:1-9).
As is the case with most of Paul's letters and with ancient letters in
general, 1 Corinthians begins with an introduction (prescript) and a
thanksgiving (verses 4-9).
How did Paul address the Christians in Corinth? 1 Cor. 1:2, 3.
Paul used the phrases
sanctified
and
called to be saints
to describe
his readers. The terms
sanctified
and
saints
are both based on the
Greek word
hagios,
"holy."
What attitudes does the society in which you live have about
holiness or being
holy?
Corinth had a proud history and was strategically important,
located as it was on the isthmus of Greece and serviced by two
seaports (Lechaeum and Cenchreae). It was a wealthy city, especially
noted for the advanced crafts of shipbuilding and architecture, as well
as the manufacture of textiles and ceramics. However, for all its
advantages, Corinth was not
holy.
In an earlier era, authors from the competing city of Athens slan-
dered Corinth by coining the terms
to Corinthianize
meaning "to
fornicate," and
a Corinthian girl,
meaning "a prostitute." One author
portrayed Corinth as having 1,000 prostitutes in the service of the
goddess Aphrodite.
Corinth may have been no more nor less immoral than other
similar cities. However, as Paul's letter indicates, the temptations of
sexual immorality, idolatry, and gluttony (1 Cor. 5; 6:12-20; 8; 11:17-
22) pressed upon the believers. And they were all too ready to yield.
From the beginning, Paul focused on the sanctifying work of Christ on
their behalf and called them to spiritual excellence. He reminded them
that they
are
(not
will be) sanctified
and
called to be saints.
Our submission to Christ and to His sanctifying work is what it
takes to experience spiritual growth and maturity in Him. "Every
weak, doubting, struggling soul who yields fully to the Lord is placed
in direct touch with agencies that enable him to overcome. Heaven is
near him, and he has the support and help of angels of mercy in every
time of trial and need."—The
Acts of the Apostles,
p. 299.
Do you need to hear afresh the assurance of Christ's sanctify-
ing work for you and His call to spiritual excellence?
9
Wednesday
December 31
"OUR LORD, COME!" (1 Cor. 1:1-9; 16:21-24).
One means that helps us understand an essay or a book is to read its
introduction and conclusion before reading the rest of the document.
Such an approach often helps to highlight concerns that are important
to the author.
What concerns mark the introductory and concluding verses of
1 Corinthians? 1 Cor. 1:1-9; 16:21-24.
Paul's love for his converts shines through the introduction and
conclusion of 1 Corinthians. His passionate concern and his desire
that grace be evident in their lives is clear. And Paul's belief in the
Second Coming is equally vivid. Christians await "the revealing of
our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Cor. 1:7, NRSV). And Paul's joyful confi-
dence in God's faithfulness is an inspiration to those of us who await
Christ's soon return.
Compare how Revelation also reflects a belief in the Second
Coming in both its introduction and conclusion. Rev. 1:1-8;
22:20-21.
The conclusions of both Revelation and 1 Corinthians contain the
heartfelt call, "Come, Lord Jesus" (Rev. 22:20, NRSV); "Our Lord,
come!" (1 Cor. 16:22). The call in 1 Corinthians is couched in the
Aramaic phrase
marana tha,
the only use of the words in the New
Testament, and is especially powerful because Paul has just pro-
nounced a curse,
anathema,
against anyone who rejects Christ (com-
pare Gal. 1:8, 9).
Anathema. Marana tha.
The words occur together in
the Greek text. For Paul,
anathema
is appropriate to the one who
refuses to love Christ. But the cry of those moved by love for their
Saviour is
Marana tha,
"Our Lord, come!"
Notice, again, the three elements present in Paul's introduction and
conclusion:
1.
Obvious love for the believers.
2.
Joyous belief in Christ's Second Coming.
3.
Confident faith in God's keeping power.
Which of these three elements do you think is most essential
to Seventh-day Adventists at this time in earth's history? Ex-
plain. Which do you need to emphasize most in your Christian
experience just now and why?
10
Thursday
January 1
THE COLLECTION FOR THE SAINTS (1 Cor. 16:1-20).
What is "the collection for the saints"? (16:1). Explain why it
was so important for Paul's ministry. 1 Cor. 16:1-4 (2 Cor. 8, 9).
"The collection for the saints" features prominently in Paul's let-
ters and seems to have been his project for nearly twenty years. One
central concern of his was the reconciliation of Jews and Gentiles
within the church (see especially Eph. 2:11-22). The collection of
funds from his largely Gentile churches to aid impoverished Jewish
believers in Jerusalem gave Paul a practical way in which to manifest
his desire for reconciliation between these groups.
Such a project also reflects Paul's belief in the words of Isaiah
58:6-8 and Matthew 25:34-46. How we treat those less fortunate than
ourselves reflects in a major way our love for the Lord.
How would you respond to a friend who quotes 1 Corinthians
16:1-4 in favor of Sunday's being the day on which the earliest
Christians worshiped? On the other hand, how would you empha-
size the larger picture of our concern for others' needs?
Paul encourages the Corinthians to make advance preparation for
"the collection for the saints," which is to be gathered when he next
arrives. "The context has little to do with church assemblies. What is
called for is the private budgeting of an individual."—D. R. de Lacy,
"Holy
Days," Dictionary of Paul and His Letters,
ed. Gerald F. Hawthorne
and others (Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1993), p. 404.
The passage may actually be taken as evidence for the continuing
significance of Sabbath among Paul's churches. The "putting aside" is
an individual act done at home and likely represents the use of the first
day for financial activity that would have been judged inappropriate
on the Christian Sabbath.
What concerns did Paul express about the treatment of such
faithful Christian leaders as Timothy, Apollos, and members of
"the household of Stephanas"? 1 Cor. 16:5-20.
Outline practical steps you can take to encourage reconcilia-
tion in your church and respect for its leaders. Share such steps
in the class and suggest ways for implementation.
11
Friday
January 2
FURTHER STUDY:
At what other points in Paul's ministry
does he receive a vision or dream? See Acts 9:1-19 (compare
22:6-16; 26:12-20); 16:6-10; 22:17-21; 23:11; 27:21-26; 1 Cor.
15:3-8; 2 Cor. 12:1-10.
Chapter 24 in
The Acts of the Apostles,
"Corinth," pp. 243-254,
traces Paul's early ministry in the city.
To supplement this week's lesson, consult a good Bible diction-
ary, such as
The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Dictionary,
for infor-
mation on the city of Corinth and an introduction to 1 Corinthians
as a whole.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
I. On
the idea of honoring Christian leaders, see
1 Thessalonians 5:12, 13 and Philippians 2:25-30. How
can we provide both constructive criticism
and
respect to
those who serve
us as leaders?
2.
List the
top five factors that make spreading the gospel
difficult in your area. How can such factors be turned
into occasions for God's intervention in the hearts and
lives of your neighbors? Pray for them and for opportu-
nities to reach them.
3.
You have just listened to a lengthy lamentation about the
challenges facing "our youth" and how often they "fall
away." Much of the speech rings true. Based on this week's
lesson, how would you respond in a way that reflects the
living hope and faith of Paul?
SUMMARY: Paul's courageous
example in pressing the Christian
mission in Corinth calls us to reexamine our sometimes unsuccess-
ful efforts to proclaim the gospel. His call to spiritual excellence,
vibrant belief in Christ's return, and dedication to reconciliation
likewise invite our self-examination. Can we, with full voice, cry,
"Our Lord, come!"
12
Taught by An Angel
J. H. Zachary
The people arrived at the beach in trucks, buses, jeeps, and
motorcycles for the mass baptism following evangelistic crusades
in the Philippines. After a worship service on the beach, 30 pastors
stood in the crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean and baptized
nearly 1,000 people. After the service a man gave his testimony.
His name is Baget. He is a member of the B'Laan tribe, an animist
people living on the island of Mindanao. For years, he had robbed—
and sometimes killed—his victims. He had earned a well-deserved
reputation as a ruthless murderer, and was feared by the community.
But one day a glorious being appeared to Baget. His face was
kind, and shone like the sun. He told Baget, "You must worship the
God of heaven on
Sabado
[Saturday], God's holy day." Then the
being was gone. Baget was stunned. He tried to recall the being's
words. Worship the God of heaven? On
Sabado?
This was some-
thing new to Baget. The Christians he had encountered all wor-
shiped on Sunday. Why would this glorious being tell him to
worship on another day?
The shining being returned to Baget several times. Each time he
revealed more of what Baget must do to worship the true God.
Baget told his village elders of the being's visits and messages.
The villagers, impressed by the visions, decided to obey.
When Sunday-keeping missionaries entered the village, the villag-
ers rejected their messages, for they did not teach the same truths as
the glorious being. Then the local Adventist mission heard about the
angel visits and sent a lay preacher to study with the people. As Baget
and the villagers listened, they recognized that the lay preacher's
teachings were the same as the glorious visitor's. They welcomed the
lay preacher and joined his Bible studies.
Following recent evangelistic meetings, Baget brought 25 of his
fellow B'Laan people to the mass baptism
in the ocean to be baptized. Baget's life is a
testimony to God's power to transform. To-
day Baget teaches others about Christ. Nearly
200 new believers worship in the two
churches Baget has helped raise up.
God sent an angel to Baget (left). J. H.
Zachary is director of Evangelism for The Quiet
Flour.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness
13
Lesson 2
January 4-10
Divided Loyalties
414*
.
gir ••
iwia•maam••
e
m
nillt
k
l
ii
tirf
i
bAsswiwil••-.0
4
*et it
47.mmasammessorwsumg
-
•,••
•••
r own
usvaiou
w
1
111
111111116
4itoir
a
ra•is
-
walk
NMI
447;••• •
1
111111111M ali
.
•1
1
1111111.
0
ili
• .01:
11
11,
al
a
41%
mu
wit.-
4: ..••11111111/....114111.4110
0
P
O 4.
4,
4"
471
4
4
19
4
4
a
• • r•
• I"
'lloo...6111•Sbra 111" *no. •-•
4
/
11
41‘ •
••••/..
114
/
1
1/114
fa#1/
liarare
iNplIva.t..ir
***
.wip•••••••/,•116.
,,1111111.•
MIA
Mi
l
s.
iv. mu
-
-
41
1
-
.
- • •_•_•
All
...
1111)
.
F
'Fr
Ulm
gale ..............
4.-10•1114
Z emir:
.
....
11.1"."
eraailligl
a
4
111
.....
*./•• •trik
ia
lak
-A*
IC,
4*
a
s4/44,4.,14.•,......
ollawst:1
-
.1.-
4,
Sabbath Afternoon
READ FOR THIS WEEK'S STUDY: 1 Cor. 1:10-17; 3:1-23.
MEMORY TEXT: "Therefore let no man glory in men. For all
things are yours; Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the
world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all
are yours; and ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's" (1 Corinthians
3:21-23).
KEY THOUGHT:
Paul grew concerned when he received a report
of actions and quarrels among the Christians at Corinth. His remedy
called for fresh attention to the realities that bind Christians together
and for his readers to lay claim to all the blessings God has provided.
CHRISTIANS ARE CALLED TO FOLLOW CHRIST.
Chris-
tianity, like the wider culture around it, has become more and more
oriented toward the "stars." Gifted Christians attract a following
because of their ability to speak more eloquently, argue more persua-
sively, or sing more engagingly than others. And sometimes the fol-
lowers of one teacher or musician pit themselves against those of
another in an attempt to press their "celebrity's" qualities.
If it is possible to mistreat Christian leaders, it is also possible to
make a "star" leader too important in one's experience. We may
become so starry-eyed that we forget the Son! Using powerful im-
agery, Paul calls his readers from divided loyalties to human leaders
back to Spirit-inspired worship of God and His Son. Christ Himself is
the head of the church, and He alone should be followed. That is why
Paul seeks from his friends in Corinth a fresh dedication and loyalty to
the divine Leader of their church.
14
Sunday
January 4
CLIQUES
IN CORINTH (1 Cor. 1:10-17; 3:1-4).
What problem had developed in Corinth that "Chloe's people"
reported to Paul? How serious does he consider this problem to
be? 1 Cor. 1:10-17; 3:1-4.
Christians in Corinth were dividing along "party lines." Paul sug-
gested that there was a "Paul party," an "Apollos party," a "Cephas
party" (Cephas is the Jewish name for Peter), and, a label that may
have been claimed with a special air of sanctity, a "Christ party."
Against such divisiveness, Paul asserted the unity of Christians with a
set of powerful questions: "Has Christ been divided? Was Paul cruci-
fied for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?" (NRSV). To
each question Paul expected, of course, a resounding "No!"
Compare Paul's later call to unity in Ephesians 4:1-6. Notice
how he answered many of the questions he raised in 1 Corinthians
1:10-17. Explain how being humble, gentle, and patient with fel-
low Christians promotes unity.
"Has Christ been divided?" Christian unity finds its source in the
worship of one Lord. "Was Paul crucified for you?" The level ground
at the foot of the cross underlines the fact that we are one. "Were you
baptized in the name of Paul?" We have all participated in the cleans-
ing waters of "one baptism" and were baptized in the name of Christ.
These realities of our faith unite us. However, we must not only
celebrate such unity as an article of faith, we must work toward it in
practical ways. Paul calls believers to turn the union that is already
theirs into reality.
Seventh-day Adventists cannot afford to take for granted a unity of
faith and purpose. The divisions experienced in the Corinthian church
can undermine the unity of our church today, unless the love and
lordship of Christ unite us to Him in our diversity. Paul's words offer
a cure to the disease of disunity.
How does true Christian unity relate to Christian unifor-
mity? To what extent does Paul's bidding to "be in agreement"
(1 Cor. 1:10) mean we should think and act alike? What may be
dividing our church here and now? What can we do about it?
Write a one-page letter dealing with divisiveness in your church
and what can be done to build unity. Share your letter with your
class members and listen to theirs.
15
Monday
January 5
SEPARATE OR TOGETHER? (1 Cor. 1:10-17; 3:1-4).
Where did early Christians meet, and what was the nature of
early Christian congregations? 1 Cor. 16:19; Rom. 16:3-5.
Newly formed religious groups without the approval of the govern-
ment did not have the choice of owning public structures for worship.
In fact, separate church buildings were uncommon until near the end
of the second century.
The Corinthian Christians do appear to have met as a whole from
time to time. Paul, writing from Corinth, speaks highly of "Gaius, who
is host to me and to the whole church" (Rom. 16:23). And 1 Corinthians
14:23 refers to "the whole church" coming together. These, though,
seem to be exceptional occasions.
Of Paul's churches, we know the most about the one in Corinth. It
is possible to identify as many as 16 of its members by name. Based
on the evidence in the New Testament, one widely respected estimate
suggests there were some 50 members in the Corinthian church during
Paul's day, perhaps a few more.
What are the strengths of groups of church members meeting
separately and in some isolation from the larger congregation?
What are some of the dangers? 1 Cor. 1:10-17; 3:1-4.
"It seems likely that the various groups mentioned by Paul in
1 Cor. 1:12 would regularly have met separately. Such relative isola-
tion would have meant that each group had a chance to develop its
own theology, and virtually assured that it took good root before being
confronted by other opinions."—Jerome Murphy-O'Connor,
St. Paul 's
Corinth: Texts and Archaeology,
Good News Studies, 6 (Wilmington,
Del.: Michael Glazier, 1983), p. 158.
House churches are sometimes regarded as
"the
New Testa-
ment model." Should we argue for an exclusively house-church
model for modern Christians? What can we do to facilitate both
smaller group fellowship and wider unity within our congrega-
tions?
It seems that wherever Aquila and Priscilla lived, they opened
their home to the Christian community. How can you make your
home a place of nurture, peace, and friendship?
16
Tuesday
January 6
THE CHURCH AS GOD'S GARDEN (1 Cor. 3:5-9).
In the chart below, list the images Paul used to remind the
Corinthians of his pioneering role in their church. Also explain
Apollos' role.
Text
Paul's Role
Apollos' Role
1 Cor. 3:1-3
1 Cor. 3:6
1 Cor. 3:10, 11
Who was Apollos? What do we know of him from the New
Testament? Acts 18:24-28; 1 Cor. 16:12; Titus 3:13.
After ministering in Corinth on the second missionary journey,
Paul had moved on to Ephesus, where he left his companions Aquila
and Priscilla. With Paul in Palestine, Apollos arrived in Ephesus. He
possessed natural gifts of eloquence, a profound understanding of the
Old Testament, and, most importantly, a "burning enthusiasm" for
Jesus (Acts 18:25, NRSV). But there was a significant gap in his
knowledge in that he knew only "the baptism of John," a lack filled by
the instruction of Priscilla and Aquila, who were very valuable lay
workers and teachers. With the aid of believers in Ephesus, Apollos
wished to expand his ministry into Achaia. So he went to Corinth,
where God helped him to nurture the faith of the new converts and
defend Christ to the Jews.
"He who sends forth gospel workers as His ambassadors is dishon-
ored when there is manifested among the hearers so strong an attach-
ment to some favorite minister that there is an unwillingness to accept
the labors of some other teacher. . . . It is seldom that one minister has
all the qualifications necessary to perfect a church in all the require-
ments of Christianity; therefore God often sends to them other minis-
ters, each possessing some qualifications in which the others were
deficient."—The
Acts of the Apostles,
pp. 277, 278.
How do you react when you discover that others have gifts
that you do not have? Are you thankful for your gifts, and do
you have a teachable spirit, a willingness to learn from others?
17
Wednesday
January
7
THE BELIEVERS AS GOD'S TEMPLE (1 Cor. 3:9-23).
Temple
is used frequently in the New Testament as an image for
Christians or a Christian community. It is also true that the indi-
vidual believer is the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. How does
the use of the imagery in each of the following passages compare
with its use in 1 Corinthians 3:9-17?
1 Cor. 6:19
2 Cor. 6:14-7:1
Eph. 2:19-22
1 Peter 2:4-8
Paul writes to heirs of the classical Greek "temple culture." Corinth
had a history of providing both craftsmen and materials for building
temples in other cities. As reconstructions of the city center at the time
of Paul indicate, the presence of temples was an unmistakable feature
of Corinth. The people to whom Paul wrote, in walking the streets of
their city, daily observed temple-building and repair projects. There-
fore, they would easily understand Paul's temple imagery.
Paul uses common ideas about temples: 1. A temple belongs to its
god and is of value to that deity. Thus, damage to a temple is an insult
to the deity. 2. A temple houses the deity. 3. The building of a temple
requires supervision. 4. Contractors are rewarded for successful work
and fined for poor craftsmanship.
How did Paul conclude his discussion about factions among the
Corinthian believers? How does he describe the divine evaluation
of "the wisdom of this world"? 1 Cor. 3:18-23, NIV.
The Corinthians were charmed by the wisdom of earthly teachers.
And such teachers as Peter, Paul, and Apollos were surely wise.
However, an unhealthy level of personal allegiance to individual
teachers had developed. And this snobbish loyalty risked serious
damage to the church. In this way they had relished the "wisdom of
this world" and had missed the wider privileges of Christian disciple-
ship.
In what ways have you succumbed to the "wisdom" of your
age and failed to see it for the foolishness it is?
18
Thursday
January 8
BUILDERS OF GOD'S TEMPLE (1 Cor. 3:9-17).
Within the context of the temple imagery, what does Paul say
about Christian workers who minister in inferior ways? 1 Cor.
3:9-17.
Through the years, Bible students have wrestled with these words
about the performance of Christian leaders. But the meaning of the
passage becomes clear when we consider ancient inscriptions about
temple-building. A fourth-century-B.C. inscription from Arcadian Tegea
may be especially helpful. It details conditions contractors and work-
men should abide by as they construct the temple of Athena. It reads
in part:
"If anyone should oppose the allotment of the jobs . . . or should do
harm, doing damage . . . in any way, let those who made the allot-
ments fine . . . him, whatever fines . . . seem right to them, and let them
publicly announce it as their determination and summon him into the
presiding court for the full sum of the fine. . . .
"If anyone, having signed a contract, should damage any other of
the existing works, . . . whether sacred, public or private, contrary to the
agreement of the contract, let him restore the part that was damaged at
his own expense [to a condition] not inferior to what it was at the time of
the contract. If he does not restore it, let him pay the fines . . . in keeping
with those established for those jobs . . . which have run past [the
appointed time]."—Translated by Jay Shanor, "Paul as Master Builder:
Construction Terms in First Corinthians,"
New Testament Studies
34
(1988), p. 462.
Paul has described the status of Christian leaders as "God's
servants" (1 Cor. 3:5-9, NRSV). What point about his own identity
does the use of temple imagery allow him to emphasize? 1 Cor.
3:10-12.
Paul labels himself the "skilled chief builder" to whom God has
entrusted oversight in the construction of the temple, the Corinthian
church. While all leaders are servants of God, Paul wishes to remind
his converts of his special, God-given role with regard to the Christian
church in Corinth.
Think of the members of your Sabbath School
class. What
unique roles and gifts has God granted to each one? How can
you best work with them to "build up" God's church?
19
Friday
January 9
FURTHER STUDY: Wednesday's lesson includes a number of pas-
sages that use temple imagery to describe God's church. There are
many others. How do the following passages add to our understand-
ing? Matt. 16:18, 19; John 2:18-22; 1 Tim. 3:15; 2 Tim. 2:19; Heb.
3:1-6; Rev. 3:12.
The Acts of the Apostles,
chapter 26, "Apollos at Corinth," pp. 269-
297, provides inspired commentary on the passages covered in this
week's lesson.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.
Recall observing a house being constructed. What lessons
did you learn about your relationship with Jesus and other
believers through this experience?
2.
Paul Minear, in his book
Images of the Church in the New
Testament,
counts a total of 96 such images. The church as
"body," as "temple," and as "bride" are especially signifi-
cant in Paul's writings. Which of these images do you think
are most important for today and why? What modern im-
ages could we use to refer to the church?
3.
We employ temple language to describe our church. We
speak of "foundational truths" and describe people as "pil-
lars." Is it possible to misuse this language? Notice the way
Paul mixes architectural language with biological language
in 1 Corinthians 3 and Ephesians 2:19-22. How could too
great a fascination with the static imagery of a temple rob
us of dynamism and growth?
SUMMARY: To
attach oneself to a specific teacher in isolation from
others or to a specific faction in isolation from the church at large can
lead to spiritual illness. Instead, Paul calls us to exercise our full
Christian privileges and accept all the blessings of thought and fellow-
ship God has provided.
20
Winning the Masai, Part 1
A Time to Dance
Jan Meharry was fascinated when she saw a Masai man herding
his cows outside Nairobi, Kenya. These proud, nomadic herdsmen
of the African plains, dressed in their traditional
kangas
(cloth
wraps) and wool blankets, have stubbornly resisted Western influ-
ence, including Christianity. As Jan learned more about the Masai,
a desire grew to work with these people.
Jan visited a Masai home outside Nairobi. She greeted her
Masai hostess then ducked her head to enter the tiny hut made of
thin sticks covered with cow dung. The entire Masai home would
have fit into her livingroom! Two beds made of cow hides stretched
over rough frames, hugged opposite walls. Between them a circle
of rocks imbedded in the dirt floor held the cooking fire. Smoke
curling upward from the embers burned Jan's eyes. A shelf above
the fire held a cooking pot, two bowls, and a stirring spoon.
Jan's Masai hostess offered tea. As the woman swished out the
cups with not-so-clean water, Jan prayed, "Father, keep a smile on
my face and the tea in my stomach!" God answered her prayer, and
gave Jan a growing love for these simple people of the plains.
Later, at a Masai feast, the missionaries photographed their
Masai hosts as they performed traditional dances. But Jan did not
just want to watch; she wanted to experience their culture. Bravely
she asked if they would teach her one of their dances. First sur-
prise, then smiles crossed their faces as Jan and a friend tried to
imitate their dance steps. An
mzee
(elder) told them that if they
wanted to be like Masai, they must dress like Masai. He tied a
kanga
around Jan's shoulders Masai style. Then Masai women put
jewelry on the guests, so they would look "proper." What fun they
had learning from their new friends!
But after they left the village,
Jan wondered if she should have
joined in their dancing and sing-
ing. Would her actions keep these
people from accepting the gospel
when it was presented to them?
(continued next week)
Jan Meharry (right) with some
Masai friends. She and her family
served as missionaries in Kenya until
1996.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness
21
Lesson 3
January 11-17
The Lord of Glory, Not
Glorious Words
Sabbath Afternoon
READ FOR THIS WEEK'S STUDY: 1 Cor. 1:18-2:16.
MEMORY TEXT:"For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks
seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the
Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But
unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the
power of God, and the wisdom of God" (1 Corinthians 1:22-24).
KEY THOUGHT:
To early Christians who were tempted to vali-
date what was common, Paul speaks lasting words. He encourages
them to cling to the wisdom of God seen in His crucified Son.
CHRIST JESUS HAS BECOME FOR US WISDOM FROM
GOD.
Abandoned by both his parents, Robert Allen lived with elderly
relatives who did not allow him to attend school. Although his Aunt
Bevie had only an eighth-grade education, she taught him to read. He
sharpened this skill by reading the King James Bible twice through to
his blind great-aunt Ida. Thus rooted in the knowledge of God's
Word, Robert read widely, gleaning some 2,000 volumes from yard
sales. In 1981, at the age of 32, he decided to try education and passed
the college placement test with high scores. Within a few years,
Robert earned a college degree, graduating summa cum laude. He
went on to receive both a Master's and Ph.D. in English—all rooted in
the wisdom he found in reading God's Word to a blind
aunt.—Chatta-
nooga News-Free Press, Parade,
Dec. 22, 1991, pp. 4-6; True wisdom
finds the same source, in God's revelation of Christ; adapted.
22
Sunday
January 11
PAUL'S APPROACH IN CORINTH (1 Cor. 1:18-2:16; Acts 17:
16-34).
Compare the two approaches Paul used in his ministry in Ath-
ens and in Corinth. Acts 17:16-34; 1 Cor. 2:1-5. What do you learn
about witnessing from this comparison?
Paul argued for the gospel in synagogue and marketplace before
being ushered to Athens' famed Areopagus ("Mars' hill," KJV), the
"Royal Porch" in the marketplace. The Areopagus was "the most
venerable institution in Athens, going back to legendary times, and, in
spite of the curtailment of much of its ancient powers, it retained great
prestige, and had special jurisdiction in matters of morals and reli-
gion."—F. F. Bruce, "Areopagus,"
New Bible Dictionary,
second ed.,
p. 81. Paul, ever the zealous evangelist, may have been disappointed
in the results at Athens. However, at least one member of the aristo-
cratic council, "Dionysius the Areopagite," became a Christian, plus
some others.
Paul, as he moved on to Corinth, was convicted by the realities he
faced there and felt an urgent need for his message to represent a
revelation from God. He could not be satisfied with any humanly
crafted message. Nor could he risk sharing words that depended more
on one's speaking ability than on divine power.
Read through the entire segment for this week's lesson,
1 Corinthians 1:18-2:16. Then try to develop an outline. The
following suggestion is to help you develop your own outline:
1. Main Idea (1:18-25)
2. Support for the Main Idea (1:26-2:5)
A.
(1:26-31)
B.
(2:1-5)
3. What the Main Idea Means for Christians (2:6-16)
How would you explain the gospel story to someone from
another religious or secular background? What approaches could
you use? What role would culture and generation play in such
approaches?
23
Monday
January 12
THE WISDOM OF THE WORLD (1 Cor. 1:18-25).
Read the selection for today's lesson, 1 Corinthians 1:18-25, in
light of 1 Corinthians 1:10-17. Explain how the two sections are
related.
At the heart of the partisan spirit in Corinth seems to have been a
craving for "wisdom," an appetite borrowed from the wider culture.
One ancient author comments on the Corinthians' love for oratory
"even amongst women and children." The phrase
Corinthian words
was used to describe well-crafted speech. Christians, maintaining
such a fascination, identified with this teacher or that, over against
others who, in fact, had been provided by God for their benefit, as
well.
Paul had already addressed their leanings and will do so again
(1:10-17; 3:1-23). Here he argues against the driving force behind the
factions—that one should be in search of the sharpest "wisdom."
Paul refers to "the foolishness of preaching" (1 Cor. 1:21, KJV).
What does he mean by this?
Paul clearly had a high regard for preaching (Rom. 10:14-17;
I Tim. 4:13-15; 5:17; 2 Tim. 4:1, 2). The proclamation of the gospel
only appears foolish to the nonbeliever. To the Christian it provides
the power and wisdom of God. "Many do not look upon preaching as
Christ's appointed means of instructing His people and therefore
always to be highly prized. They do not feel that the sermon is the
word of the Lord to them and estimate it by the value of the truths
spoken; but they judge it as they would the speech of a lawyer at the
bar—by the argumentative skill displayed and the power and beauty
of the language. . . . If you listen to him [the preacher] as though he
were not commissioned from above you will not respect his words nor
receive them as the message of
God."—Testimonies, vol.
5, p. 298.
Many Christians learn the art of public speaking. Do Paul's
words call into question such attempts to improve one's speech?
Explain your answer. As a listener, what attitudes have you
detected in your own heart that make it easier or harder to hear
the message God wishes to communicate to you through the
pastor? What helpful or affirming observation do you feel free
to share with your pastor?
24
Tuesday
January 13
THE WISDOM OF GOD (1 Cor. 1:18-25).
How does Paul compare "the wisdom of the world" with "the
wisdom of God"? As you carefully study 1 Corinthians 1:18-25,
which of his remarks do you find most telling and why?
In Paul's day, those of the world looked to "the one who is wise,"
to "the scribe," and to "the debater of this age" for wisdom. But Paul
suggests that to do so is to end one's search with an inferior brand of
wisdom. Our world assumes that all really valuable wisdom, the kind
that makes a difference in boardrooms and on balance sheets, stems
from advisors, consultants, and lawyers. Our world turns for wisdom
to the latest self-help book or best seller in pop psychology. However,
taking our cue from Paul's argument, true wisdom is to be found at the
foot of the cross. And real discernment is given by God's Spirit. We
need to remember, however, that God uses the wisdom of Christian
counselors and other experts to help us.
What was the typical request of the Jew and the usual desire of
the Greek? How would each be likely to respond to a crucified
Christ? 1 Cor. 1:22-24.
Jesus is the One whom every Jew, every Greek, every person, in
their inmost heart, seeks. In Christ, the Greeks could find the real
meaning of life and how to realize it
in fact.
So often perceived desire
masks the true hunger of the human heart. Satisfying that true hunger
is
the
goal of Christian mission.
"Jesus, whom Paul was about to present before the Greeks in
Corinth as the Christ, was a Jew of lowly origin, reared in a town
proverbial for its wickedness. He had been rejected by His own
nation, and at last crucified as a malefactor. The Greeks believed that
there was need of elevating the human race; but they regarded the
study of philosophy and science as the only means of attaining to true
elevation and honor. Could Paul lead them to believe that faith in the
power of this obscure Jew would uplift and ennoble every power of
the being?"—The
Acts of the Apostles,
p. 244.
Imagine yourself as a citizen of Corinth, listening to Paul in
the synagogue, workshop, or marketplace. How might you have
reacted? Would you have needed the gift of God's Spirit to
enable you to discern true wisdom? Do you need similar enlight-
enment today? What can you do about it so that you may see
Christ as your sure enabler and true wisdom in your life?
25
Wednesday
January 14
FOOLISH, WEAK, DESPISED: GOD'S PEOPLE IN CORINTH
(1 Cor. 1:26-31).
Who were among the "not many" (verse 26) of the Corinthian
Christians who were wise, powerful, and of noble birth? Acts
18:8; Rom. 16:1, 2, 23.
Paul does not deny that there were some among the Corinthian
Christians who held positions of importance in society at large. Paul
mentions one such citizen of Corinth, Erastus, in Romans 16:23 and
notes that he was the "city treasurer" (NRSV) or "director of public
works" (NIV). A Latin inscription found at Corinth reads, "Erastus
laid this pavement at his own expense, in appreciation of his appoint-
ment as aedile." The "aedile" was in charge of public buildings. And it
is often thought that the Erastus of the inscription and the Erastus of
Romans 16:23 are one.
Though some of the members in Corinth had significant social
standing, Paul's words are clear—most of them did not. Among those
who would hear these words of Paul's read in the house churches were
artisans, housewives, children, and slaves occupying the lower rungs
of the social ladder. To them, Paul's words must have provided
considerable comfort. A world accustomed to social standing and
high finance ignored them. But God had especially selected them to
advance His cause. Some time ago, Donald Kraybill wrote a book
about the Gospels entitled
The Upside-Down Kingdom.
First Corinthians
1:26-31 is Paul's introduction to this upside-down kingdom.
What great word of assurance did Paul write to the Corinthians?
In what sense is Christ all of the things Paul mentions? 1 Cor.
1:30.
Not many of the Corinthian believers were of "noble birth" (1:26).
The Greeks treasured noble lineage as much as the Jews cherished a
pure lineage. Over against "noble birth" Paul sets the royal descent of
the Christian. "The gospel has ever achieved its greatest success
among the humbler classes."—The
Acts of the Apostles,
p. 461. Such
classes feel a greater need to belong to God and His family. Thus, in
Christ, they indeed possess heaven's noble and royal lineage.
Have you ever felt like a social outcast in the family of God?
How can we avoid perpetuating the social barriers of the world
within the church?
26
Thursday
January 15
THE MIND OF CHRIST (1 Cor. 2:6-16).
How does "God's wisdom" relate to "the wisdom of this world"
and "the princes of this world"? 1 Cor. 2:6-8.
Though the wisdom of God manifested in Christ crucified may not
attract those in search of a popular philosophy, its lack of current
appeal is unimportant. It is wisdom with eternal credentials, founded
on God's decree "before the world" (KJV) or "before the ages" (2:7,
NRSV). And it is wisdom with a future. It is not a wisdom "of this
world" (KJV) or "of this age" (2:6, NRSV), but a wisdom that dis-
closes "the Lord of glory," the One who will rule over "the ages to
come" (2:8; compare Eph. 2:7).
We use the quotation in 2:9 in a variety of ways. How does Paul
use it in the context of 1 Corinthians 2:6-16?
The source of the quotation in verse 9 is not obvious. Paul seems to
have drawn on Isaiah 64:4 and 52:15 to form a composite quotation.
Just as the prophet in Isaiah 64:4 ponders the uniqueness of a God who
intervenes on behalf of His people, so Paul accents the surprising
nature of God's intervention through His crucified Son (1 Cor. 2:7, 8,
KJV): "eye hath not seen, nor ear heard" what God has revealed and
done for His people through Christ crucified.
Wisdom and spiritual gifts.
In 1 Corinthians 2:6-16, Paul con-
tinues his critique of those who laid claim to spiritual maturity, to
being "spiritual," and who boast that they possess special "wisdom"
(compare 3:18-20; 8:1-3). Such people also held that certain spiritual
gifts, especially speaking in tongues, provided evidence of exalted
spiritual status (1 Corinthians 12-14). Paul underlines the obvious but
important thought that it is the Holy Spirit who provides true insight
into "spiritual gifts." (See especially 2:12, 14.)
In 1 Corinthians 2:16 Paul uses the words, "the mind of Christ"
(compare Rom. 8:9, Gal. 4:6 and Phil. 1:19). What do you think it
means to have "the mind of Christ"? Is this a privilege that is
available to every Christian? Explain your answer.
"The sinner unites his weakness to Christ's strength, his emp-
tiness to Christ's fullness, his frailty to Christ's enduring might.
Then he has the mind of Christ."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 675.
27
Friday
January 16
FURTHER STUDY:
Besides 1 Corinthians 1:30, what other pas-
sages highlight the privileged status of Christians as children of God?
See John 1:12, 13; Romans 8:14-17; 1 John 2:29-3:3. Can you think of
others?
Ellen White was convinced of the importance of the cross of
Christ. Ponder these inspiring statements:
"If there is anything in our world that should inspire enthusiasm, it
is the cross of Calvary. 'Behold, what manner of love the Father hath
bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.' Christ,
made unto us 'wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and
redemption,' should be humbly and thankfully received by us. His
sacrifice should inspire us with zeal to work in His service, calling
upon others to behold in Him 'the Lamb of God, which taketh away
the sin of the world.'
"—Review and Herald,
Sept. 29, 1896.
"Christ crucified—talk it, pray it, sing it, and it will break and win
hearts. This is the power and wisdom of God to gather souls for
Christ."—Testimonies,
vol. 6, p. 67.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. We sometimes speak of a person
as being "really spiritual."
What do we mean? What criteria do you use to determine
whether a person is "spiritual" or not? How valid are those
criteria in the light of Paul's discussion of wisdom?
2. Think of a time when you had to take an unpopular stand
for Christ. What enabled you to do
so?
How can you be
motivated to cling to God's wisdom when the wisdom of the
world seems so much more appealing and is ever so widely
accepted?
3. How should we encourage young adults to relate to the
"wisdom of the world"? Should we attempt to:
a.
isolate them from
it;
b.
equip them to master it;
c.
other?
4. Differentiate between God's wisdom and the wisdom of the
world. By what criteria will you know the difference?
SUMMARY: We
are not to recognize true wisdom by the quality of
its rhetorical manifestation or its level of acceptance by the world at
large, but by its ability to transform the life and to reflect accurately
the wisdom God revealed in His Son, Jesus Christ crucified.
28
Winning the Masai, Part 2
A Time to Speak
Jan Meharry wanted to work with the Masai, the nomadic herds-
men of Kenya. While attending a Masai feast, she had asked her hosts
to teach her a traditional Masai dance. Later she wondered if she her
actions would prevent her from witnessing to them.
She expressed her concerns to a Masai pastor. He viewed the
video Jan's husband had taken during the feast, then he told her that
the Masai
mzee
(elder) had said, "If these women are willing to dance
with us, then let's welcome them." The pastor added, "Dancing with
the Masai probably was one of the best things you could have done.
When it is time to give them the gospel, they will listen, because you
were willing to become one of them." Jan was thrilled.
Several months later Jan learned that a young couple teaching at
Maxwell Academy not far from Nairobi, also had a deep love for the
Masai. Gwen had even begun a Bible story hour for the small group
of Masai who lived near the Maxwell campus. Jan could hardly
wait
to meet Gwen. When Jan visited Maxwell, she learned that the Masai
women were attending Gwen's story hour with their children, and the
women often visited in one another's homes as well. It was apparent
that Gwen Edwards deeply loved her neighbors the Masai. Once she
found Gwen on the hill behind her home, helping the Masai women
mix mud and cow dung to repair their houses!
And one day the Masai women asked Gwen to teach them about
the God who made her so loving and kind. Would she conduct
a
church service for them in the grove of trees behind their homes?
Gwen was breathless with joy—until she realized she would have
to preach! She had never preached before. But the women did not
want a pastor; they wanted Gwen. She prayed that God would tell her
what to say to these people who knew so little about Him.
God answered her prayer when a Masai
boy lost one of his goats on the hillside be-
hind Gwen's yard. The happiness he showed
when he found his goat reminded Gwen that
these cattle-herding people would under-
stand that Jesus is the Good Shepherd.
(continued next week)
Gwen Edwards (left) with one of her
neighbors. Jan Meharry and her family served
as missionaries in Nairobi, Kenya for six years.
They recently returned to the United States.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness
29
Lesson 4
January 18-24
"Paul, Called to be an
Apostle"
Sabbath Afternoon
READ FOR THIS WEEK'S STUDY: 1 Cor. 4:1-21; 9:1-27.
MEMORY TEXT: "Know ye not that they which run in a race
run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all
things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an
incorruptible" (1 Corinthians 9:24, 25).
KEY THOUGHT:
In illustrating the ministry of apostles, Paul
defends his own commission and records valuable counsel for later
Christians. With Paul, we are invited to become "all things to all men"
(1 Cor. 9:22) and to "run in such a way as to get the prize" (1 Cor.
9:24, NIV).
CHRISTIANS AND THEIR LEADERS NEED TO WORK TO-
GETHER MORE EFFECTIVELY.
Have you criticized or praised
your pastor lately? Or has your pastor criticized or praised church
members? If there has been criticism only, has it been founded on a
thorough knowledge of your pastor's gifts and responsibilities? Or a
thorough knowledge of members' gifts and responsibilities? Mis-
understandings between Christians are not new. Paul's reputation in
Corinth suffered as a result of unflattering comparisons. So in his
letter to the Corinthians, he spent much space attempting to broaden
their understanding of his ministry, thus mending his relationship with
them. First Corinthians, chapters 4 and 9, deal directly with Paul's
role as an apostle. These chapters show us that it is possible to have
understanding leaders and members in every congregation.
30
Sunday
January 18
FIRST, APOSTLES (1 Cor. 4:1-5).
An "apostle" is an authoritative messenger or representative. Paul
uses the term informally, referring to messengers from churches on
practical missions (2 Cor. 8:23; Phil. 2:25) and more formally, refer-
ring to the spiritual gift, one sent by Christ to proclaim the gospel
(1 Cor. 1:1). Our lesson focuses upon the latter use.
What is the function of an "apostle," and for how long was the
gift to be active in God's church? Acts 2:15-26; 1 Cor. 9:12;
12:27-31; 15:3-8; Eph. 4:11-13.
Two positions have been taken regarding the identity of apostles
and the period of their ministry:
1.
The apostles were a special group of people consisting of the
twelve, Paul and perhaps others who, at the beginning of the
Christian church, helped to lay down an authoritative founda-
tion for future Christians. There are no living apostles in mod-
ern times.
2.
The term "apostle" was assigned to the twelve who participated
in Christ's earthly ministry. Others, though, especially Paul,
could justifiably claim the title. And the gift is to operate in the
church until Christ returns.
Which position do you regard as more valid? Why?
How does Paul invite us to picture an apostle? 1 Cor. 4:1-5.
Do you know one or more persons who were sent by God to
accomplish a special mission for Him? How was their work simi-
lar to that of the apostles?
An apostle, says Paul, is a servant to whom has been entrusted the
management of the divine Master's goods, much like Joseph's service
to Potiphar. With such an important position goes a high degree of
accountability to God. What matters most is what He thinks of our
service; and His measure of success is not recognition or position, but
faithfulness to Him. We cannot afford to be distracted by the world's
symbols of accomplishment and success. Our God is loving and
faithful to us, and our love and faithfulness to Him is what He values
above all (1 Cor. 4:2).
31
Monday
January 19
"MADE A SPECTACLE"
(1 Cor. 4:6-13).
Paul continued to describe the role of apostles, noting that he was
especially speaking of himself and Apollos (1 Cor. 4:6). In verses
8-13, Paul compared his own circumstances ("we apostles") to those
of his opponents in Corinth who had apparently been using Paul's
bleak circumstances against him. But Paul laid claim to suffering and
trying circumstances as a badge of honor rather than a signal of God's
displeasure.
What lessons about Christian living may we learn from Paul's
defense of his ministry? 1 Cor. 4:8-13. How do we discern God's
plan for us through trying circumstances and even through false
accusations?
Though Paul is speaking of apostles, he indicates that others are to
learn from his words, as well (verse 6). Then he invites Christians to
imitate him (verse 16). Paul's account of his ministry challenges us.
"The scandal of the cross is written large over Paul's vision of his own
apostleship. For him it truly was 'like master, like servant.' "
—Gordon
D.
Fee,
The First Epistle to the Corinthians
(Grand Rapids,
Mich.: Eerdmans, 1987), p. 175. Could the same be said about our
ministry for Christ?
What language does Paul employ to further describe the role of
apostles? 1 Cor. 4:9.
The amphitheater served as an arena for the battles of gladiators.
Corinth's amphitheater accommodated some 14,000 people. Paul com-
pares apostles to the band of doomed prisoners already sentenced to
die who are brought in at the end of the performance. Such wretches
would bring the crowd added sport as they were slain by gladiators or
wild animals (1 Cor. 15:32). Paul, with all true apostles, has become
"like the rubbish of the world, the dregs of all things" (4:13, NRSV).
Some Corinthian Christians may have thought he was too! In vivid
language, he agrees that he is in trying circumstances. But he also
wishes to point to the One who has permitted these circumstances.
Thus, God arranges for Paul (and his fellow apostles) to be on display
for "the world, to angels and to mortals" (4:9).
Have you ever suffered for the sake of the gospel? Do you
know others who have? What would you say to encourage them?
What words of Paul could you share with them?
32
Tuesday
January 20
THE APOSTLE'S RIGHTS (1 Cor. 9:1-18).
What rights that belong to an apostle does Paul claim are his?
1 Cor. 9:1-12.
As he had been earlier (1 Cor. 4:3-5), Paul remains concerned
about those who are preoccupied with judging or examining him. In
1 Corinthians 9:1, 2, he uses a series of questions to set forth his
credentials as an apostle. He has seen the risen Lord, and his ministry
has been validated by fruit born, including the winning of Christians
in Corinth (perhaps some of the very ones who are now critical of
him). Paul assembles considerable evidence to establish his point,
drawing illustrations from military service, agriculture, and animal
husbandry. He further supports his argument with material from the
Old Testament.
What parallel does Paul draw between the support of the Old
Testament priests and Levites and the support of Christian minis-
ters? 1 Cor. 9:13, 14.
Paul is not interested in reshaping the Christian ministry in the
form of the Old Testament priesthood. He will elsewhere argue for the
concept that has come to be known as "the priesthood of all believ-
ers." Nonetheless, he draws a specific parallel between the Levites,
who were supported by the tithe (see Num. 18:21, 24; Lev. 27:30, 32;
Mal. 3:8-12), and the support of those who commit themselves to
proclaiming the gospel of Christ. Notice that, as a crowning piece of
evidence, he claims the authority of Christ Himself for such an idea
(1 C,r. 9:14; Luke 10:7).
God calls us today to: 1. participate in the ministry that God has
entrusted to us, whatever our occupation, and 2. return tithe for the
support of those who have dedicated themselves to the proclamation
of the gospel as a full-time occupation. In this passage, there also
rings an additional challenge for those who accept such support. How
quickly would the message spread if those of us who benefit from
receiving tithe funds or who do not would be as dedicated as Paul in
spreading the gospel!
How easy is it to delay and rationalize the decision to be
faithful in returning tithe? Is your commitment to Christ strong
enough to be reflected in the way you manage His gifts to you,
including money? What important role does your trust in God
play in becoming a faithful steward?
33
Wednesday
January 21
PAUL, THE ADAPTABLE APOSTLE (1 Cor. 9:19-23).
How adaptable does Paul claim to be in his bid to win people to
Christ? 1 Cor. 9:19-23.
We sometimes find ourselves specializing in some specific way to
share Christ, then grow nervous if we find ourselves pushed beyond
what is familiar to us. Leonard Sweet tells of overhearing one gradu-
ate student sharing with another that the job offer he had received was
beneath him. The other student responded, "You know, the world's a
better place because Michelangelo did not say, 'I don't do ceilings.' "
The interchange inspired Sweet to write the following:
". . . .The world's a better place because Moses didn't say, 'I don't
do Pharaohs or mass migrations.'
"The world's a better place because David didn't say, 'I don't do
giants.'
"The world's a better place because Peter didn't say, 'I don't do
Gentiles.'
"The world's a better place because John didn't say, 'I don't do
deserts.'
"The world's a better place because Mary didn't say, 'I don't do
virgin births.'
"The world's a better place because Paul didn't say, 'I don't do
correspondence.'
"The world's a better place because Mary Magdalene didn't say, 'I
don't do feet.'
"The world's a better place because Jesus didn't say, 'I don't do
crosses.' "—Adapted from
Leadership,
Spring 1994, vol. xv, no. 2, p.
32.
In what ways do you think Paul proved adaptable for the sake
of proclaiming the gospel? To what extent may we adapt our
approaches in order to share Christ effectively with others?
Faithfulness to God as He empowers us to advance His Kingdom
"is not a matter of talk but of power" (1 Cor. 4:20, NIV). We often just
talk about what God calls us to do, but do not earnestly seek the power
of His Spirit to bring such talk to reality!
Is there something God is calling you to do for Him to which
you are responding, "I don't do . ."? How do you experience
the power of the Holy Spirit in your life to transform your talk
to reality?
34
Thursday
January 22
RUN TO WIN
(1 Cor. 9:24-27).
Paul takes us to Isthmia, 9 miles (14 km) east of Corinth, site of the
important games that Corinth sponsored. Here, he invites us to watch
a race, to see the boxers spar, and to take an example from the
disciplined training of the athletes. While he is still interested in
demonstrating how he conducts his ministry, he encourages Christian
disciples to draw lessons for themselves.
What parallels and contrasts does Paul draw between athletics
and the Christian life? 1 Cor. 9:24-27.
Again Paul employs imagery that is accessible to those who will
hear his letter read. The Isthmian Games, held every two years, were
second only to the Olympics. Some suggest that Paul may have at-
tended the games during his stay in Corinth and helped to provide
tents for the thousands of competitors and athletes.
Each of the ancient Greek games featured a ringlet made of spe-
cific greenery as a symbol of victory. Perhaps Paul watched from the
sidelines as a winner took a victory lap in the Isthmian Games. On the
winner's head would be a ringlet of . . . withered celery! Yes, the
Isthmian games featured a celery crown, which was already wilted
when presented and was surely more so by the end of the victory lap
atop a sweaty brow. Fleeting honor indeed!
It is exciting to watch someone win a gold medal in today's Olym-
pic Games. But even those medals are only
gold-plated
and worth
about $100.00 each. The victory ceremony lasts for a few fleeting
moments. The top three competitors mount the platforms to have their
medals placed around their necks. Then the flags of the nations they
represent are raised and an
abbreviated
version of the gold medalist's
national anthem is played. In a flash, it's over. Only marginally better
than a wilted celery crown! And yet you would be hard pressed to find
a winner who would say it was not worth it. Paul's point is that such
effort, invested for so fleeting a prize, shames us in our lackluster
response to the reward Christ promises His followers.
"We are striving for a prize infinitely more valuable, even the
crown of everlasting life. How much more careful should be our
striving, how much more willing our sacrifice and self-denial!"—The
Acts of the Apostles,
p. 312.
What honors does Revelation promise to Christian victors?
In what arena will they receive these honors? How lasting will be
their rewards? Rev.
2:7,
10, 17; 2:26-28; 3:5, 12, 21 (compare
Matt. 6:19, 20).
35
Friday
January 23
FURTHER STUDY:
First Corinthians 4:9-13 records Paul's trials
and afflictions. Also read Romans 8:35; 2 Corinthians 4:8, 9; 6:4, 5;
11:23-29; 12:10. Why do you think Paul so frequently reviews his
difficulties?
The Acts of the Apostles,
chapter 30, pp. 309-315, comments on
1 Corinthians 9:24-27.
First Corinthians 9:27 contains an important admission on Paul's
part that we should not overlook. "Paul clearly envisages the possibil-
ity that, notwithstanding his work as a preacher, he may himself fall
from grace and be rejected. . . . His conversion, his baptism, his call to
apostleship, his service in the Gospel, do not guarantee his eternal
salvation."—C. K. Barrett,
A Commentary on the First Epistle to the
Corinthians,
second ed. (London: Adam & Charles Black, 1971),
p. 218. What importance does Paul's statement have for us today? Is it
possible to overemphasize either the permanency on the one hand or
the fragility on the other of the relationship between Christ and His
followers?
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.
Paul calls for "firm self-control, strict temperance, and un-
flagging zeal in service" and holds that "the Christian must
put forth the utmost exertion in order to gain the victory."
—The Acts of the Apostles,
pp. 309, 311. How does Paul's
call for excellence in Christian living (1 Cor. 9:24-27) relate
to the fact that salvation is a gift from God?
2.
Paul's tone changes from that of sternness in 1 Corinthians
4:8-13 to a gentler, fatherly call in 1 Corinthians 4:14-21.
But this call ends firmly with Paul threatening "the stick."
What situation calls forth Paul's strong words? Do modern
Christian leaders need to follow Paul's call to "imitate me"
and become more firm disciplinarians?
3.
Envision a church in which there is an absence of all gossip
and backbiting for a year. List some possible results. Would
you or your class be willing to initiate such an experiment?
SUMMARY:
Paul's ministry gives us insight into the ministry of all
Christians. We are all, in some sense, "stewards of the mysteries of
God" (1 Cor. 4:1) and have become "a spectacle unto the world, and to
angels, and to men" (1 Cor. 4:9). Paul also reminds us that we need to
support financially God's work and model his flexibility in mission
strategy and his commitment to spiritual excellence. Last of all, Paul
still extends the challenge "Run to win!"
36
ihnisal Mission
Winning the Masai, Part 3
A Time to Build
Gwen Edwards watched from her window as her Masai friends
climbed the gentle hill toward the grove of trees where they would
worship God for the first time. Gwen gathered her felt board and
felts and hurried up the hill after them. Despite her earlier fears,
she enjoyed giving her first sermon. She told about Jesus, the Good
Shepherd, and the lost sheep. She truly enjoyed the worship serv-
ice! At first the Masai wanted only Gwen to lead them in worship,
but in time the little congregation moved into a room on the
academy campus, where others joined the Masai ministry project.
Solomon, a young Masai man who met Jesus Christ while
working as a gardener at Maxwell, had translated for Gwen's story
hour and Branch Sabbath School. Now he organized a baptismal
class. And on a special Sabbath in May 1994, six Masai from the
settlement near Maxwell were baptized.
One woman's husband was so impressed with the positive changes
he saw in his wife, that he offered a piece of land at his primary home
at Kisaju if Adventists would come and teach the people there. Gwen
asked Jan Meharry if she would like to go to Kisaju to hold a short
evangelistic series. Jan was eager to go! When she arrived at Kisaju,
Jan recognized it as the same village where she had learned to dance!
God had brought her back to minister to the very people who had
accepted her four years earlier!
Gwen, Jan, and others worked with the Masai at Kisaju. The
Holy Spirit touched the hearts of the people. They expressed their
gratitude to those who came to teach and help them. Again they
asked for a church in their settlement. Friends in America learned
of the need, and within months a group from the Pacific Northwest
traveled to Kenya and built a gift of love for the Masai—a simple
chapel where the Masai worship God, learn to read, and learn how
to improve their lives through proper health practices.
(continued next week)
The church at Kisaju (left).
Gwen Edwards works at
Maxwell Adventist Academy
near Nairobi, Kenya. Jan
Meharry and her family
recently returned to the United
States following a term as
missionaries in Kenya.
1
37
Lesson 5
January 25-31
Reviving Christian
Identity
* ..40*.
• ii,,
41
0
ticitirillittwanwirgarmikerariau
r
Air-
40
. 10111
.1 \Si.
yr
....* imaiin
gl
ar
volivitiiterekIlli _iyammaikilorinowiladot-'
Atz
...
0
0
1,
11...NAgsolop:oalrei.
,,
•:
,,,
tivir
s
al-Aziel%
tt,,r40.1._-vrievil-os ‘Ni,tvit.telteuranoi.4-0:014.7-
.c
,,
igeive
-
-
00-....-
..........
-
-nv4
,
-.-
ti
t
ionfig,
4,040.400#4 400„,444,1 iiittrtn,7:::;;:ifi.:141
ifl
irill,
1
,
104PWaii014
,
440 *
4
1:
0
:011e-wift
i
lla"v
r
tft
4
"ingy
nn.
„r
i
g-lima
t
,v, datig....7.#
2
.
-
. !
-
..
-
,—
Arilrivo
"
i
TgAP‘ 1k-q.v..
..if.
- Ao
..., .. .6...
-
, ...
drie
wm
awimas a'4
4k
• ...
v
.
l'kwina
* 0 tillekt-ewrr4..
, •-idlik.,.‘"ordfivillggillille.niiiikirilifil
.,-41114
enITPAII "'W
.
" Ir
ej
EVA
-
AVAII*41184700t
o
iF
-
0
AL"
10' -11A .
401111140
15iiirlfia
li
aliellialk" .
1
4
411
1;"
4
,
4
AL-
11)
:11,
--
Imi
lamoill
111111117
#
1510114
Togi
r—
.
4
'
Ir
ii1/
11
4
irm.
,,.
., .....6
Sabbath Afternoon
READ FOR THIS WEEK'S STUDY: 1 Cor. 5, 6.
MEMORY TEXT: "And such were some of you: but ye are
washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of
the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God" (1 Corinthians
6:11).
KEY THOUGHT:
Paul warned the Christians of Corinth to re-
frain from immoral practices and legal proceedings against fellow
church members. He also challenged them to regain their Christian
identity as the washed, the sanctified, and the justified.
THE CHURCH IS TO NURTURE ACCOUNTABILITY AND
MINISTRY.
Adventist college students were once asked, "What do
you like or dislike about the Seventh-day Adventist Church?" Amid
the more positive responses came this reply: "I like the church be-
cause it doesn't demand. I dislike it because it has a tendency to
abandon people in crisis." This person did not seem to recognize both
as part of one pattern—a church detached from its members. The
gospel, however, calls us to be accountable to our fellow church
members (thus making "demands") and to be positively involved with
people in crisis.
Paul wrote 1 Corinthians 5 and 6 to help the Christians in Corinth
establish such a caring community. Because of incest and an arrogant
protection of the offender, Christian accountability within the Corinthian
church declined. And court battles strained at the seams of Christian
community while Christian morality stretched beyond all bounds as
Christian brothers defended their visits to brothels.
38
Sunday
January 25
PURITY IN AN IMPURE WORLD (1
Cor. 5:1-5; 6:9-11).
First Corinthians 5 and 6 are important to a Christian understand-
ing of human sexuality. But these chapters do invite a word of cau-
tion. One ancient author defined a letter as "half a dialogue." We
might say that reading a letter is often like listening to only half of a
telephone conversation. In reading these two chapters, we must not
presume too much about the half of the conversation we have not
heard!
What situation existed in Corinth, and what did Paul feel needed
to be done about it? 1 Cor. 5:1-8.
First Corinthians 4:14-21 leads up to the treatment of a drastic
problem in view of which Paul threatens to come to Corinth "with a
stick" (1 Cor. 4:21, NRSV). At the beginning of chapter 5 he reveals
what has brought on his "spare the rod, spoil the child" strategy. The
words Paul chose suggest that the offender's partner is not his mother
but a later wife of his father. And the man may have formed the liaison
after his father's death. But neither of these possibilities lessens the
need for swift and decisive action.
Describe the sexual climate of Corinth. How did it contrast with
the Christian life? 1 Cor. 6:9-11. What is the tremendous hope of
transformation that the gospel brings to the most hopeleess hu-
man condition. How does this hope affect our witness to the ones
described in this passage?
"We would do well to meditate on the message and meaning of
1 Corinthians 6:9-11. The world today is one vast Corinth, with sexual
perversions and vices of every kind rampant. But the miracle at
Corinth tells us that Christ can save men and women out of even the
vilest practices. . . . Thus, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 both encourages and
informs. It is a window that lets in the power of the Word of God,
inviting us to experience afresh the miracle at Corinth."—William G.
Johnsson, "Windows on the Word: Miracle at Corinth,"
Adventist
Review,
Feb. 5, 1981, p. 6.
How does Paul's suggested treatment of the offender com-
pare to Christ's treatment of the woman caught in adultery?
(John 7:53-8:11). How do you account for the differences as you
carefully consider the different circumstances?
39
Monday
January 26
ACCOUNTABILITY IN THE CHURCH (1 Cor. 5:1-5, 9-13).
Compare the attitudes of Paul and the Corinthian Christians
regarding church discipline. 1 Cor. 5:1-5, 9-13.
The phrase
church discipline
may seem to be contradictory, espe-
cially since the spirit of our times is expressed in sayings such as: "It's
my life, and I'll do what I want." "It's none of your business." And
"Why should you care?" Yet our age also echos a haunting loneliness
of spirit. Paul assumes that the Christian community is one in which
members call one another to accountability. In the early house churches,
there was no organizational distance from erring members. They all
knew one another well. If anything, their acquaintance with the trans-
gressor led them to downplay offensive behavior and dismiss that
which required immediate treatment.
How does Paul picture his participation with the church, and
what outcome of the disciplinary action does he imagine? 1 Cor.
5:3-5.
What does it mean that the church is to "hand this man over to
Satan" (1 Cor. 5:5, NIV)? It is Paul's way of describing the
disfellowshiping of a member—outside the church lies the kingdom
of Satan (Col. 1:13; 1 Tim. 1:20; 1 John 5:19).
What of "the destruction of the flesh"? This likely means that the
man's removal will, hopefully, cause him to "wake up," and return to
Christian commitment, thus destroying the flesh. "The purpose of the
banishment is not so much the preservation of the purity of the
community as the winning back of the offender by making him ashamed
of his conduct. . . . What is to be destroyed is not the body, but the
tendency which binds the offender to sin."—N. G. Joy, "Is the Body
To Be Destroyed?,"
The Bible Translator 39
(1988): 435, 436.
This final phrase is more amazing than unclear—"so that his spirit
may be saved in the day of the Lord" (NRSV). Paul looks toward the
final day of judgment and imagines the disciplined offender as stand-
ing among God's people!
"Among the more serious of the evils that had developed among
the Corinthian believers, was that of a return to many of the debasing
customs of heathenism."—The
Acts of the Apostles,
p. 303.
What misunderstanding had developed as a result of an ear-
lier letter written by Paul? How is this significant for the
Seventh-day Adventist mission today? 1 Cor. 5:9-13.
40
Tuesday
January 27
YOU REALLY ARE UNLEAVENED (1 Cor. 5:1-13).
How might Paul's counsel correct some of our concepts of
"church discipline"? 1 Cor. 5:1-13.
Notice these aspects of Paul's understanding of church discipline
(could you add others?):
1.
It is active.
He
is not satisfied with a passive approach to a
serious problem. For Paul, when a member puts the integrity of
the church at risk by crossing certain boundaries, the church
must act.
2.
It underlines the local church's responsibility.
While Paul
imagines himself participating in treating the problem, he re-
gards the responsibility for action as the local congregation's.
He urges them to do their duty.
3.
It is redemptive.
Paul, despite his feelings about the offender's
not being in church, hopes for the man's re-entry. In doing so,
he provides us with an important example. Often we are prone
to label fallen church members as "hopeless."
How does Paul use allusions to the Passover Feast in an attempt
to reverse the arrogance of the Corinthians? 1 Cor. 5:6-8.
At the Passover, Jewish households were to participate in a dili-
gent search to remove all bits of leaven (Ex. 12:14-20; 13:7). Paul
points to the great antitype of the feast: "Christ our passover is sacri-
ficed for us." While Paul still may have in mind the expulsion of the
erring member, his application is broader. The believers are to be on
the alert for those seemingly small, but really influential and destruc-
tive attitudes (like their "boasting") that could impact their disciple-
ship out of all proportion to their "size" (compare Gal. 5:7-9).
"Those who cannot discern between him that serveth God and him
that serveth Him not, may be charmed with these societies that have
no connection with God, but no earnest Christian can prosper in such
an atmosphere. The vital air of heaven is not there. His soul is barren,
and he feels as destitute of the refreshing of the Holy Spirit as were the
hills of Gilboa of dew and
rain."—Evangelism,
p. 619.
What is the appropriate attitude of those involved in calling a
fellow member to accountability? 1 Cor. 5:2; Gal. 6:1; 2 Thess.
3:14, 15.
41
Wednesday
January 28
COURTING DISASTER
(1 Cor. 6:1-8).
In many countries today, it seems that everyone is quick to file
lawsuits against anyone for anything. In Paul's day, Corinth may not
have been so different. Dio Chrysostom, writing about A.D. 100,
reports that there were "lawyers innumerable perverting justice." And
wealthy and powerful citizens often used the civil courts to dispense
injustice against those with less clout. This may be why Paul calls the
judges "unjust" (1 Cor. 6:1) and says that the victors in the lawsuits
"[do] wrong, and defraud" (1 Cor. 6:8, NRSV).
What further problem developed in the Corinthian Christian
community, and what remedy did Paul suggest? 1 Cor. 6:1-8.
Review the procedure Jesus commends as appropriate when a
Christian believes himself or herself to have been wronged by
another Christian. Matt. 18:15-20.
When will believers participate in the judgment of the world
and of angels? Matt. 19:28; Luke 22:28-30; Rev. 3:20, 21; 20:4-6.
The issues raised in
1
Corinthians 5-6 are "insider" and "outsider"
issues. Should one who is really "outside" be allowed to remain
"inside" (1 Cor. 5:1-8)? Should former Christians be treated differ-
ently from those who have never been "inside"? (1 Cor. 5:9-13). Is it
appropriate for "inside" issues to be taken up in "outside" courts?
(1 Cor. 6:1-8).
"Satan is constantly seeking to introduce distrust, alienation, and
malice among God's people. We shall often be tempted to feel that
our rights are invaded, even when there is no real cause for such
feelings. Those whose love for self is stronger than their love for
Christ and His cause will place their own interests first and will resort
to almost any expedient to guard and maintain them. Even many who
appear to be conscientious Christians are hindered by pride and self-
esteem from going privately to those whom they think in error, that
they may talk with them in the spirit of Christ and pray together for
one another. When they think themselves injured by their brethren,
some will even go to law instead of following the Saviour's rule."
—The Acts of the Apostles,
p. 305.
How do similar issues confront you? How can your class or
church be helpful in similar situations today?
42
Thursday
January 29
FLEE FORNICATION! (1 Cor. 6:12-20).
What illicit sexual behavior did Christian men at Corinth
attempt to justify? 1 Cor. 6:12-20.
An early copy of 1 Corinthians exhibits no italicized headings, no
chapter and verse divisions and no neatly indented paragraphs. Nei-
ther were there quotation marks or spaces between words. Thus, we
must carefully consider which words are Paul's and which represent
his quotations of ideas or slogans being offered at Corinth.
Most recent translations agree that the following are Corinthian slo-
gans to which Paul responded: " 'All things are lawful for me' " (verse
12) and " 'Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food' "
(verse 13, NRSV; a slogan apparently used to justify the illicit sexual
practice). Additional slogans may be the phrases "God will destroy both
one and the other" (verse 13, if taken to mean that since God is going to
destroy the human body, what one does with it is unimportant) and
"Every sin that a person commits is outside the body" (verse 18, NRSV).
How does Paul answer these slogans and establish important
principles for a Christian understanding of human sexuality?
1 Cor. 6:12-20.
To each of the Corinthian slogans Paul adds a response. The phi-
losophy at Corinth suggested that the body was morally irrelevant:
what one does with one's body does not affect one's relationship with
God. But Paul: 1. shows that God values the body so highly as to
destine it for resurrection (verse 14); 2. demonstrates the absolute
absurdity and sinfulness of a Christian man's association with a pros-
titute (verses 15-17); and 3. identifies the Christian's body as a
temple of the Spirit and the Christian as a purchased slave who
belongs to the divine Owner (verses 19, 20).
"God has bought us, and He claims a throne in each heart. Our
minds and bodies must be subordinated to Him, and the natural habits
and appetites must be made subservient to the higher wants of the
soul. But we can place no dependence upon ourselves in this work.
We cannot with safety follow our own guidance. The Holy Spirit must
renew and sanctify us. In God's service there must be no halfway
work."—SDA
Bible Commentary,
vol. 6, p. 1088.
Which of the above principles is most important in the con-
text of modern culture? Why?
43
Friday
January 30
FURTHER STUDY: If 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 is any indication, in-
struction with regard to appropriate sexual behavior seems to have
been part of Paul's basic teaching to new converts. Why was this the
case? What were the themes Paul is likely to have emphasized? Do
we need more instruction on such matters today?
Following is a portrait of Christian camaraderie and accountability:
"Those of diverse exercises come together and with simplicity and
humbleness of mind talk out their experience. All who are pursuing
the onward Christian course should have, and will have, an experience
that is living, that is new and interesting. A living experience is made
up of daily trials, conflicts, and temptations, strong efforts and victo-
ries, and great peace and joy gained through Jesus. A simple relation
of such experiences gives light, strength, and knowledge that will aid
others in their advancement in the divine
life."—Testimonies,
vol. 2,
p.
579. What steps can you take to foster such fellowship?
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.
Have you ever been part of a class or a small group that
attempted to practice Christian accountability? What was
the result? Are Seventh-day Adventists too individualistic
in their faith? Why or why not?
2.
Some practical questions arise regarding Paul's counsel
about litigation between Christians. For example, what if,
following an accident in which you were involved, your
insurance company sues another believer?
3.
Paul's focus in 1 Corinthians 5 and 6 is on the misbehavior
of men, with little attention given to the women involved.
What do you think would have been the impact of Paul's
counsel on Christian women in Corinth?
SUMMARY: Paul calls Christians at Corinth away from a boastful
attitude toward the open sexual sin of one member, away from an
inappropriate use of civil courts, and away from immoral visits to
prostitutes. While the purity of the apostolic age may be tarnished, we
are the richer for Paul's list of principles that remain important for
defining Christian identity today.
44
Jan
and Marlin Meharry visited the new believers at Kisaju as
often as
possible. But this tripwas different. It was time to leave
Kenya, and they had come to Kisaju to say goodbye to their Masai
return one day.
friends. Amid tears and singing, they bid farewell, and promised to
The work at Kisaju has continued with vigor. Solomon and Isaac,
Winning the Masai, Part 4
A Time to Sing
Masai layworkers, began teaching the women and children to read
and write, using the Bible as their text. When the men heard that the
women were learning to read, they wanted to learn as well. Soon
they will be able to study the Word of God for themselves.
The little chapel at Kisaju has become the center of their lives.
They worship, they learn, and they receive healing—both physical
and spiritual—in their church. The Masai thank God for those who
have come to teach them a better way to live and a Saviour to love.
And on a recent cloudless Sabbath day, the believers of Kisaju
gathered around a simple cement basin filled with water, and wel-
comed 23 precious Masai believers into the Adventist faith. With
songs of rejoicing sung in English and Kimasai, joining the heavenly
choirs, it must have sounded wonderful!
Church leaders have worked for decades to reach the Masai in
East Kenya, but with little success. God chose instead to use two
young mothers with no special training, but with a love and a
burden, to win the Masai for His kingdom. Could He have used them
f they were afraid to get dirty? Afraid to preach? Could He have
used them if they had turned their nose
up at strange smells or new foods? He
tested their dedication and found them
willing to do what He asked in order to
win someone to Jesus. Praise God! Be-
cause these lay workers were willing to
get dirty for His glory, precious souls
have been baptized into God's kingdom.
Because of love: 23 new believers were
baptized at Kisaju, Kenya as the result of
the work among the Masai by lay men and
women. (Photo by Jackie 0. Smith.) Jan
Meharry , Gwen Edwards, and Charlotte
lshkanian contributed to this four-part
testimony of God's love.
Produced
by the General Conference Office
of Mission Awareness
45
Lesson 6
February 1-7
Christian Sexuality
1,01‘
orig
ie.
-
-
J
°
*--..• *
F..-
-
:-
4
go.•.01041140rEgijova
_ ..
iwieltiliAmaa.,
C.
1401
4111111millgilli.4•0
it.
.... r
.1 • vr........
,
7,7...0 .. -- •"t1""--.
I
,.
IN
.10,
1-
•••
NJ., Ir.* A • I /11 ,
:•`•
— 7
4*
7.10'
.
!I:tAl
•.•
in
4.4"
1•‘•ii•.r
fatal/caraf
e
'4b
r e./
.
—I J1*
1
„1/".
*
Ii
f;11,,,n
141;AV,00
4g
a
t
.
4Tiff....1„
v4
0
,
,c, ‘
4
)
,
a :10.17
i:
r a Air' 1:4
I le
A
l I
,
r
; ....7.2
1
1 t its; '
11
.
diA
*., ...•!&•,..
-
4
7,;
,,,:iita
,74
4
,4t,",r, tw....1:1;',„.
iw
4
.
11
4;j
7.4
`:
.
"
1
"41
,
" ;
11
41
1
4
sx0.•=
1
:
- f
••
4,,
,
,,
p
,
illki ..r
..
.;•
4
F .
411 4
1
1,46
.
e
41,01. 4............
,..
ii
, ...
# , #
4
; Yam - •
s
r
.
,'r .;404
0.
1. A
7.......
4 .....
6.0.4
0;01
.
...
-
.....!-
,-
to-ammo
•••-
g
r.:4;.
,-
,17,,a--.4.01
,
...INC% '''.
4
.'"••
,,,
Ilvt;
--
Oilliarib=g
s-a,
.......t
.
....‘t t&
-
d4,,
-
;4•••
,
•TitiVr.re
-
r:(4.-
,
IL 411
, A6
11110111141s-eill-.1%.- "."....,...,:rirt".•/".2:--_-•,_......"1
.11.
-
....
-
11PAr
0
"".
1,;,,, • lailloolnOisv• It
a
• ..!.
,,,ile...••
4 ..._ .
17: -; #
,
.1
.
...-
'
lig
1
111._ 1
1
t7i 0.f
.
SIPI•dii•giiiiiitt
i.
"
n
... • r '' '4.4-1e,
ii
.
0..S.•1111161,•,•,nt
.
Sabbath Afternoon
READ FOR THIS WEEK'S STUDY: 1 Corinthians 7; Eph.
5:21-33.
MEMORY TEXT: "For I would that all men were even as I
myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after
this manner, and another after that" (1 Corinthians 7:7).
KEY THOUGHT:
How should Christians make decisions about
marriage, remaining single, or coping with conditions thrust upon
them? How can Christian values and principles inform these eternally
significant choices? Important decisions such as those regarding our
marital status require an openness to God and His Word to enlighten
and empower us to do His will.
IN OUR WORLD SEX IS OFTEN USED TO SELL A
PRODUCT.
Christians are in need of straightforward words on the
topic of human sexuality. We need the Holy Spirit to bring the power
of God's Word to bear upon our lives, to enable us to choose purity,
and to help us make choices based on the high calling of God's Word,
not on the low sexual standards of the world.
In our study of 1 Corinthians 7, we shall sometimes wish for a more
specific understanding of the circumstances Paul addresses. There is
much to learn, though, as we watch Paul weigh the consequences of
certain decisions and as we hear him share principles of Christian
freedom and sexuality with the believers in Corinth.
46
Sunday
February 1
SEX IN MARRIAGE (1 Cor.
7:1-7).
Paul now answers questions the Corinthians have. What is the
first issue he addresses? 1 Cor. 7:1-7.
Again deciding which words are Paul's and which we should
attribute to the Corinthians is significant. Does it make a difference
whether the passage reads "Now concerning the matters about which
you wrote: 'It is well for a man not to touch a woman' " (1 Cor. 7:15,
NRSV) or "Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me: It is
good for a man not to touch a woman" (NKJV)?
The clause "It is well for a man not to touch a woman," should be
regarded as a Corinthian slogan to which Paul responds. The Corinthians
have submitted for Paul's approval a view of marriage that involved
abstinence. This is important to understand, for Paul's views of Chris-
tian marriage do not match those of his questioners.
True religion was never meant to be used as a convenient weapon
for sexual denial. Paul calls for moral and sexual purity, not prudery.
Sex is a God-given blessing if used as He intended and directed.
How does the sexual experience in marriage relate to one's
spirituality? 1 Cor. 7:2-7.
For Paul, the usual pattern for Christians would be to marry. He is
realistic about human sex drives and worries that extended abstinence
in marriage, even if motivated by spirituality, might lead to tempta-
tion. While he wishes all were single like himself, he acknowledges
that God has arranged things differently (verse 7).
In response to the Corinthian slogan "It is well for a man not to
touch a woman" (verse 1, NRSV), Paul discusses only sex in mar-
riage. His reason for this is clear—marriage is the only legitimate
context for sexual activity. And, if verses 36-38 address the case of the
betrothed couple, Paul assumes that the pair do not engage in sexual
activity until after marriage.
"If you will only watch, continually watch unto prayer, if you will
do everything as if you were in the immediate presence of God, you
will be saved from yielding to temptation and may hope to be kept
pure, spotless, and undefiled till the last."—The
Adventist Home,
p. 338.
What great advantages are evident today that support the
view that marriage is still the only legitimate context for sexual
activity?
47
Monday
February 2
TO BE SINGLE IS GOOD (1 Cor. 7:8, 9, 25-40).
What counsel does Paul provide to those in Corinth who are
pondering the question "Should I marry?" 1 Cor. 7:8, 9, 25-40. Do
you agree with his counsel? Why or why not?
Paul addresses his counsel to "the unmarried and the widows"
(verses 8, 9, 39, 40); and to "virgins" (verses 25-28; the term may
include people of both sexes; compare Rev. 14:4).
A third situation is less clear as Paul's language discusses a man
and his "virgin" (1 Cor. 7:36-38). Most modern translations under-
stand this to mean a man and his fiancée, though it is possible Paul is
discussing the case of a father and his betrothed daughter.
In each situation, Paul's counsel is consistent. He believes it is
better to remain single. This does not mean "better" in a moral sense.
Both singleness and marriage are good and within God's desires for
humankind (verses 28, 38). But "in view of the impending crisis"
(verse 26, NRSV), and the need for full dedication to "the affairs of
the Lord" (verse 34), Paul believes singleness is the more appropriate
choice if other factors allow it. On the other hand, "Even when all the
problems associated with married life during a period of persecution
and distress are taken into account (see verse 26), it is better to marry
than to be inwardly consumed with the mentally, emotionally, and
physically disturbing condition of unsatisfied desire."—SDA
Bible
Commentary,
vol. 6, p. 708.
What is Paul's evaluation of singleness? 1 Cor. 7:8, 25, 26,
32-35, 38, 40.
First Corinthians 7 makes an important contribution to our church:
To be single is good. Singleness is both desirable and in harmony with
God's will. It is
not
a second-rate status. To be single is a viable
choice for Christians. In fact, Paul describes it as a gift from God
(1 Cor.
7:7;
compare verse 37). And like his Lord before him, he
himself is single and lays bold claim to the gift. While Paul is writing
primarily to those who are deciding whether they should marry, his
positive evaluation of single life speaks to all singles today, regardless
of whether they have chosen such a lifestyle.
How can the church be more inclusive of its adult members
who are not married? What can you do personally to make them
enjoy a sense of belonging in the body of Christ?
48
Tuesday
February 3
SHOULD I REMAIN MARRIED? (1
Cor. 7:10-16,
39, 40).
In 1 Corinthians 7, Paul deals with situations where "separa-
tion" seems to be a desirable choice to at least one partner in a
marriage. Summarize Paul's counsel regarding these situations.
Situation 1—Husbands and wives (verses 10, 11)
Situation 2—Believer married to unbeliever (verses 12-16)
Notice that Paul bases his belief in the permanence of marriage on a
command from "the Lord." (See Matt. 5:31, 32; 19:1-9; Mark
10:1-12).
Some may have felt that their conversion somehow invalidated
their marriage. But Paul argues that the "one body" principle holds
and that the believing partner is not damaged by the union. As an
unlawful union desecrates (1 Cor. 6:16), a lawful one consecrates. He
points to the case of the unbaptized children of believing parents as an
illustration of his point. Just as unbaptized children are "holy," so the
unbelieving partner is drawn into the sphere of holiness.
In his book
Caring and Commitment,
Lewis Smedes tells of "Ralph,"
who, following his divorce, was struck with remorse. He went to a
therapist who soothed his regret with the thought that marriage is for
one's own growth, and that when one has not experienced growth for
some time, it is time to leave. Smedes counters, "We do not give
ourself a good chance for growing personally if we keep hankering
after our fantasy of the ideal woman. Or man. We grow when we keep
renewing our commitment to the only spouse we've got. We grow
when we stop dreaming of a perfect marriage, and adjust caringly to
the one we have. Our best growth comes when we forget about our
own growth, and focus on caring instead.
"Here's a nice twist: instead of giving us a good reason for giving
up a lifetime commitment, our need to grow is a prime reason for
keeping it."—New York: HarperPaperbacks, 1992, p. 95.
What are some of the trivial reasons offered for granting legal
separation in marriage? Compare with Matthew 5:31, 32.
Unfortunately, some couples enter into marriage on a trial
basis depending on how things work out. How can this tentative
attitude be the undoing of such unions?
How is the "unbelieving husband sanctified by the wife"? (7:14).
49
Wednesday
February 4
REMAIN AS YOU ARE (1 Cor. 7:17-31).
Why do you think Paul is so persistent in his counsel that
converts should remain as they are? How would you apply his
words today? 1 Cor. 7:17-24.
Paul invites the Corinthians to examine their priorities carefully.
The
priority of the Christian is to obey God's will: "Obeying the
commandments of God is everything"
(7:19,
NRSV).
What does Paul mean when he asks for "those who have wives"
to "be as though they had none"? 1 Cor. 7:29-31; (compare Heb.
11:13-16).
". . . There are many who are losing their souls in this age of the
world by becoming absorbed in the thoughts of marriage and in the
marriage relation itself. . . .
"God has placed men in the world, and it is their privilege to eat, to
drink, to trade, to marry, and to be given in marriage; but it is safe to
do these things only in the fear of God. We should live in the world
with reference to the eternal world."—Mind,
Character and Personal-
ity, vol.
1, p. 221; see Matt. 24:38.
First Corinthians 7 helps to develop two sets of thought questions.
The first is for those who are single and contemplating the possibility
of marriage:
1.
Has God given me the gift of singleness which I can exercise for
the good of His kingdom? (1 Cor. 7:7, 17, 37)
2.
Does my proposed marriage partner share my dedication to
Jesus Christ? (Note Paul's counsel that remarriage should oc-
cur "only in the Lord," verse 39, NRSV.)
3.
Will my marriage detract from or enhance my preparation for
Christ's return? (verses 25-31)
Thought questions for those who are married include:
1.
Am I practicing the degree of mutual respect that seems so
important to Paul? (verse 4).
2.
Am I deeply committed to my marriage? Do I allow Christ to
help me retain loyalty to my mate even though he or she falls
short of my ideal? (verses 10-14; compare Mark 10:2-9).
3.
How can my spouse and I join in more "unhindered devotion"
to the Lord? (verses 29, 32-35).
In view of 1 Corinthians 7, what questions would you add?
50
Thursday
February 5
SCRIPTURAL VIEWS OF MARRIAGE AND SEXUALITY (Gen.
1:27; Prov. 2:1, 2, 16-19; 5:15-23; 6:20-35; Eph. 5:21-33).
In 1 Corinthians 7, Paul responds to more of the Corinthians'
questions. His answers are helpful in formulating an understanding of
Christian sexuality. But we should also allow other scriptural passages
to shape that understanding.
What views of marriage does Paul provide in Ephesians
5:21-33? How do they compare with those he expressed in 1 Corin-
thians 7?
What do the following verses teach in opposition to the follow-
ing four lies people today often believe about marriage and
sexuality?
Lie 1—Marriage is boring (Prov. 5:15-23).
Lie 2—Adultery shows you are clever and attractive (Prov. 6:20-35).
Lie 3—Adultery adds excitement to your life (Prov. 2:1, 2, 16-19).
Lie 4—Divorce is not as bad as people make it to be (Mal. 2:16).
Commenting on Genesis 1:27, Richard Foster writes: "Our male-
ness and femaleness, is not just an accidental arrangement of the
human species, not just a convenient way to keep the human race
going. No, it is at the center of our true humanity. We exist as male
and female in relationship. Our sexualness, our capacity to love and
be loved, is intimately related to our creation in the image of God.
What a high view of human sexuality! . . .
"How much richer and fuller is the biblical perspective! . . . To
discuss a great book, to view a sunset together—this is sexuality at its
best, for male and female are in intimate relationship. To be sure,
genital sex is a part of the total picture, but human sexuality is a far
larger reality than merely coitus."—The
Challenge of the Disciplined
Life: Christian Reflections on Money, Sex & Power
(San Francisco:
Harper & Row, 1985), p. 92.
51
Friday
February 6
FURTHER STUDY:
Read Isaiah 62:5 and Revelation 19:7-9. After
studying this week's lesson, why do you think God used the marriage
relationship to symbolize His relationship with the church?
Prayerfully consider one of the following segments: "From the
Marriage Altar,"
The Adventist Home,
pp. 97-128; "The Builders of
the Home,"
The Ministry of Healing,
pp. 356-362; "Love and Sexual-
ity in the Human Experience,"
Mind, Character, and Personality,
vol.
1, pp. 218-239.
"In your life union your affections are to be tributary to each other's
happiness. Each is to minister to the happiness of the other. This is the
will of God concerning you. But while you are to blend as one, neither
of you is to lose his or her individuality in the other. God is the owner
of your individuality. Of Him you are to ask: What is right? What is
wrong? How may I best fulfill the purpose of my creation?"—The
Adventist Home,
p. 103.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.
Paul seems careful to qualify his counsel as though he's
afraid some might make too much of it or misunderstand
his tone as one of command instead of advice (1 Cor. 7:6,
10, 12, 25, 35, 40). How seriously should we take Paul's
counsel on Christian sexuality?
2.
Paul does not address many situations that are common
today. He does not discuss the situation of a single person
who senses she or he does not have the gift of singleness but
for whom there is no obvious choice of a spouse. What
words of counsel do you think Paul would have for this
person or others in different settings?
3.
React to the following quotation: "Marriage is often pre-
sented as having a sacramental quality, that is, an element
of grace witnessing to the presence of God in our lives. If
marriage is a sacrament testifying to the union of God with
us and a metaphor of God's relationship with the church,
singleness, too, is a sacrament. It testifies to the power and
completeness of God's love."—Beverly Beem, "The Sacra-
ment of Singleness,"
Signs of the Times,
October 1990, p. 27.
SUMMARY:
We are to make crucial decisions with regard to mar-
riage or singleness in answer to God's call, in the power of the gifts He
provides, and in view of Christ's return.
52
La-1-1-1
Naha! Mission
Wig
7
The FaithfulChief
J. H. Zachary
As I stepped into the jungle clearing in the Philippines, I en-
tered a primitive village called Dampaan. The entire village soon
appeared to see the foreigner from America. The village chief,
Tibulawan, welcomed me. During the visit, the chief made an
appeal, "Please send us a teacher."
Several weeks later, two student missionaries from Mountain
View College in the Philippines arrived in Dampaan and started a
school. The first-grade students ranged in age from 6 to 20, all
learning to read and write together. In the evenings, the villagers
gathered to listen to the student missionaries lead in Bible studies.
Before that year was over Chief Tibulawan and 26 of his people
were ready for baptism. Eventually the entire village followed
their chiefs example and were baptized as Seventh-day Adventists.
The message of Christ's soon coming spread to other villages in
the area. Then funds ran out, and the student evangelists no longer
came to teach in Dampaan. Fifteen years passed. Then recently
missionaries from Mountain View College visited Dampaan one
Sabbath morning. No one knew they were coming. As they neared
the village, they heard singing. To their joy they found the villagers
worshiping God. Chief Tibulawan preached. Unable to read, he
quoted Bible texts that he had memorized. Brother Tibulawan and
his people had remained faithful during the long 15 years they were
without outside spiritual leadership. Mountain View College has
again sent student missionaries to reopen the school in Dampaan,
and 100 students now study in grades one through three.
During recent evangelistic meetings held throughout the Philip-
pines, Brother Tibulawan brought more than 20 of his people
down from the mountains to be baptized. After the service, Chief
Tibulawan made this appeal. "More than
10 villages in the mountains still are wait-
ing for a teacher to come and tell them
about Jesus. Please help us."
How will we answer his plea?
Chief Tibulawan (left) kept his people
faithful to God during 15 years without church
leadership. J. H. Zachary is director of
Evangelism for The Quiet Hour.
For Current Newsbreak, Call 1-800-648-5824.
53
Don't forget the
Sabbath School Mission
Offering when you
make up your budget
for 1998. No other offering
supports the world church
as widely and as diversely
as this
fund.
You are
supporting
the work of your church in
every part of the
world when you give to
this mission offering.
54
Stay sharp
"Iron sharpens iron . . .
SO
01le pe rson shcapens another"
PrmdrI 27:17
Designed for local church leaders
A quarterly resource magazine that focuses on equipping and
training local church leaders,
Elder's Digest,
is available by
calling
(800) 982-3344
or sending check/money order/credit
card information to:
MINISTERIAL SUPPLY CENTER/SEMINARS UNLIMITED
P.O. Box 66
KEENE, TX 76059
US $9.95
for a one year subscription
55
Lesson 7
February 8-14
Food for Thought
About Idols
Sabbath Afternoon
READ FOR THIS WEEK'S STUDY: 1 Corinthians 8; 10:14-11:1.
MEMORY TEXT: "But take heed lest by any means this lib-
erty of yours become a stumbling block to them that are weak"
(1 Corinthians 8:9).
KEY THOUGHT:
Our actions may seem appropriate and ethical.
However, as Christians, we are held accountable for the influence our
actions have on others.
ARE WE REALLY ACCOUNTABLE FOR OTHERS?
One
writer has described our age as "obsessively individualistic" and full
of "raging individualism." He expands:
"My
pleasures,
my
likes and
dislikes,
my
gratification rule the day. Forget about the future—the
children and the grandchildren—forget about who will pay later,
forget about rules, and forget about God.
Don't get in my way!
If it
feels good to me, I want it, and I want it now, and I'm gonna get it."
—William Johnsson,
The Fragmenting of Adventism
(Boise, Idaho:
Pacific Press, 1995), pp. 24, 28.
To such times as ours, Paul's counsel to the Corinthians that we
will study this week comes as shocking news. Even though I know I
am right, and even though I do what is right, I may be sinning against
Christ! Not only must I keep my own conscience clear, I must watch
with care lest my "right" actions harm the spiritual commitment of
others. Sobering words, indeed, for an age such as ours!
56
Sunday
February 8
FOOD OFFERED TO IDOLS (1 Cor. 8:1-11:1).
Take a few minutes to survey 1 Corinthians 8:1-11:1. What are
its major sections? What recurring themes do you observe in
this
section of the epistle?
Paul begins this section by dealing with two issues: 1. Should
Christians eat food that had been part of a sacrifice? (8:1-8); and
2. Should Christians participate in festive meals held in temples dedi-
cated to idol worship? (1 Cor. 8:9-13). He builds a forceful argument
that love for others should exert a major influence on our behavior. He
supports this by citing his own example (1 Corinthians 9; compare
10:31-11:1). Following a section in which he corrects inappropriate
views of baptism and the Lord's Supper (10:1-13; discussed in Lesson
8), Paul concludes by revisiting the two issues regarding idols and
food. First he discusses participating in feasts in idol temples
(10:14-22), then eating food offered to an idol (10:23-11:1).
Once again, the Corinthians posed questions to which Paul
responded. Judging from 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 and 10:14-30, what
questions did they ask? What questions would you have asked if
you were in their place?
We should applaud the Corinthians for the way they respond to
their ethical dilemma. We would do well to follow their example. We
should prayerfully turn to God's Word and to Christian friends and
teachers in an effort to make sound decisions about our own behavior.
To understand the questions of the Corinthians, we must note that
the worship of false gods was an integral part of social and commer-
cial life. In an age where superstition was the rule, such worship
extended to every sphere of life. The usual diet would not have
included meat that was reserved for special events—weddings, funer-
als, public festivals, gatherings of associations or clubs, and feasts
hosted in temples. Most available meat had, therefore, been part of a
sacrificial offering to a pagan deity. At such rites, only a token portion
was burned, the remainder going to priests and others who sold what
they did not need to the "meat market" (1 Cor. 10:25, NIV).
What ethical dilemmas are you facing? On what basis do you
intend to resolve them? What sources of help are available to
you in resolving them? If you have resolved an ethical dilemma
in your life, come prepared to share with your class how you
arrived at resolution.
57
Monday
February 9
MEALS AND MARKETS (1 Cor. 8:1-9; 10:23-30).
Where does Paul envision that a Christian might confront the
issue of food offered to idols? 1 Cor. 10:25, 27.
Paul understands that Corinthian Christians will confront the issue
both in the markets and in the homes of unbelievers. A passage from
Plutarch (A.D. 46-120) helps us imagine the latter. Plutarch lived
close to Corinth, and he records the following account of a private
dinner: "Ariston's cook made a hit with the dinner guests not only
because of his general skill, but because the cock he set before the
diners, though it had just been slaughtered as a sacrifice to Heracles,
was as tender as if it had been a day old."—Quoted in Jerome Murphy-
O'Connor,
St. Paul's Corinth,
p.
101.
In these settings, what does Paul say should be the Christian's
reaction? 1 Cor. 8:1-9; 10:23-30 (compare Rom. 14:13-23).
Explain the rationale for his view.
Since idols are "nothing in the world" (1 Cor. 8:4, KJV), meat
offered to them is not really tainted by anything. So, in both the case
of meat purchased at the market and that of a meal at the home of an
unbeliever, Paul advocates a "don't ask" policy. But one must also
consider the influence of one's actions on others. Paul suggests that
this should figure in one's actions if, in the course of the meal,
someone reveals that the meat had been part of a sacrifice.
In these passages, Paul displays a high regard for the conscience.
He concludes that we should not lead one to violate his or her con-
science, even when the conscience is over-sensitized or ill-informed.
He further concludes that if a person's conscience instructs "No" on a
morally neutral matter, it should be followed. To go against the
conscience would be wrong. While the standard on which the con-
science is based may need enlightening, Paul is eager to guard against
breaching the conscience.
In this context the issue of not asking refers, as we have seen, to
food offered to idols; however, it is still appropriate to ask whether the
meat is clean or unclean if the occasion necessitates it.
How can we avoid "defiling" or "wounding" someone's con-
science? To what extent are we responsible for the integrity of
others? In our carelessness, we may become an offense to a
brother's or a sister's conscience. How may we, in loving and
understanding ways, remedy such a hurtful situation?
58
Tuesday
February 10
TEMPLE BANQUETS (1 Cor. 8:9-13; 10:14-22).
Where else did Corinthian Christians face the issue of food
offered to idols? 1 Cor. 8:10; 10:14-22.
The reality of these texts is seen in a surviving invitation to a feast
in honor of the god Serapis: "Chaeremon [the host] invites you to
dinner at the banquet of our Lord Serapis in the Serapeum [the temple
to Serapis] tomorrow, the fifteenth, at the ninth hour." Can you imag-
ine receiving such an invitation? How would you respond? What if
the event happened to be
"the
social event of the year"?
Our ability to appreciate the issue is also aided by excavations at
Corinth. Asclepius, the Greek god of healing, was worshiped at his
temple in Corinth, the Asclepion. The Asclepion was situated in a
pleasant spot with a spacious courtyard and a swimming pool. Serving
as a kind of health club and social center, it boasted three dining
rooms. Imagine the temptation a "weak" church member would face if
invited to celebrate, for example, the marriage of a pagan relative
there, especially if it was known that other Christians (the "strong")
participated in such feasts! (See Jerome Murphy-O'Connor,
St. Paul's
Corinth,
pp. 161-167.)
In Paul's view, is it a sin to eat meat offered to idols in such a
setting? 1 Cor. 8:11, 12. What rationale does he give for his view?
Paul is not interested in how our behavior impacts God in isolation
from how it affects our fellow believers. He weds the vertical dimen-
sion of our relationship with God to the horizontal dimension of our
relationships to others.
"Christianity demands that your right shall not lead others astray,
that it shall not do violence to that most sacred and delicate thing—a
human conscience."—F. W. Robertson quoted in Ralph P. Martin,
Understanding the New Testament: I Corinthians, 2 Corinthians,
Galatians
(Philadelphia and New York: A. J. Holman, 1978), p. 27.
What are some attitudes or behaviors that you may have in
living your Christian life that may intentionally or unintentionally
hinder another's spiritual growth?
What relationship exists between your self-denial and an-
other person's spiritual development?
59
Wednesday
February 11
IDOLS AND IDOLATRY (Isa. 44:9-21; 1 Cor. 10:14-22).
Review Isaiah's treatment of idolatry. Isa. 44:9-21.
Like Paul, Isaiah recognized that idol worship has a numbing
spiritual effect. "A deluded heart misleads him [the idolator]; he
cannot save himself, or say, 'Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?'"
(Isa. 44:20, NIV).
What arguments does Paul employ against participation in
pagan temple feasts? 1 Cor. 10:14-22.
In partaking of the Lord's Supper, Christians share together in
Christ, the "one bread" reflecting the "one body" we form. Likewise,
the Old Testament sacrifices were meals with great significance. By
participating, the Israelites became "partners in the altar" (1 Cor.
10:18, NRSV). Paul argues that the same is true of idol feasts. How-
ever, participating in such a feast does not make one a participant in
an idol, itself a nonentity. Rather, such involvement creates "partners
with demons" (verse 20, NRSV).
How does the New Testament encourage us to broaden our
understanding of idolatry? Col. 3:5; Rev. 2:14, 20. What are some
other forms of idolatry that we encounter in our modern world?
"Many who bear the name of Christians are serving other gods... .
Our Creator demands our supreme devotion, our first allegiance.
Anything which tends to abate our love for God, or to interfere with
the service due Him, becomes thereby an idol."—SDA
Bible
Commentary,
vol. 2, pp. 1011, 1012.
"The idols of the heathen stood between them and their God,
obscuring God from their vision. Thus it is today. By the cunning
deception of Satan false theories are made a power to rob God. Man's
spiritual understanding is darkened by Satan's sophistry. Instead of
religion's making men meek and lowly in heart, it works to make
them religious zealots, exacting and hard-spirited because their ideas
are not met. Their religious ideas do not lead the soul to humble,
fervent trust in
God."—Manuscript Releases,
vol. 12, p. 221.
What modern activities or ideas that seem nonthreatening
may, in fact, make us "partners with demons"?
60
Thursday
February 12
THE WEAK AND THE STRONG (1 Cor. 8:1-13; 10:14-30).
Who are "the strong"? 1 Cor. 8:1-6; 10:14-30.
The strong possess accurate knowledge about the nonexistence of
idols. But they are acting on this knowledge in ways that are mislead-
ing others. They deserve an "A" in Bible doctrines, but an "F" in
practical godliness. The "strong," however, are weaker than they
think! Based on an inaccurate understanding of the Lord's Supper and
baptism (see Lesson 8), they believe themselves invincible and able to
participate in temple feasts.
There are two types of "strong" church members implied in Paul's
treatment. The "weak strong" succumb to the beguiling power of their
knowledge and act out what they "know" to be right, to the detriment
of others. The "strong strong," on the other hand, can refrain from
behaviors that, while not necessarily wrong, could lead someone else
astray.
Who are "the weak"? 1
Cor. 8:7-13; 10:27-29.
The "weak" earn the title for two reasons. First, the weak church
member has a "weak" or oversensitized conscience and thus makes
decisions on irrational grounds. Second, "weak" members are
"weak" because they succumb too readily to the example of others.
While none of the Corinthians had been a Christian for long, the
"weak" were probably newer members. Or, at least members who
struggled with the pull of their old life. "We cannot underestimate
how difficult it must have been for people accustomed to believing in
the reality of many gods suddenly to transform those years of deeply
entrenched religious conviction into a monotheistic framework."
—Clinton E. Arnold,
Powers of Darkness
(Downers Grove, Ill.:
InterVarsity Press, 1992), p. 95.
These passages invite us to be especially thoughtful of those who
are new in the faith and at risk of being drawn once again to harmful
former associations and habits. It is the responsibility of their new
family members to watch over them. We should refrain from any
behavior, however "right," that will strengthen the old life.
Our churches have sometimes appointed "spiritual guard-
ians" for newly baptized members. Paul reminds us that all of us
should function in this way. What can you do to encourage a
newly baptized member? How would a spiritual partner en-
hance mutual encouragement and spiritual growth?
61
Friday
February 13
FURTHER STUDY:
For additional material from Paul on the theme
of worshiping the true God, see Acts 17:16-33, Romans 1:18-32,
1 Thessalonians 1:9, 10.
The issues revolving around idol-food may seem far removed from
our time and culture. Ellen White, though, regards these passages as
especially
appropriate to us:
"Paul urged his brethren to ask themselves what influence their
words and deeds would have upon others, and to do nothing, however
innocent in itself, that would seem to sanction idolatry, or offend the
scruples of those who might be weak in the faith. . . .
"The apostle's words of warning to the Corinthian church are
applicable to all time, and are especially adapted to our day. By
idolatry he meant not only the worship of idols, but self-serving, love
of ease, the gratification of appetite and passion. A mere profession of
faith in Christ, a boastful knowledge of the truth, does not make a man
a Christian. A religion that seeks only to gratify the eye, the ear, and
the taste, or that sanctions self-indulgence, is not the religion of
Christ."—The
Acts of the Apostles,
pp. 316, 317.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.
How does Paul's counsel in 1 Corinthians relate to the
command against consuming food offered to idols in Acts
15:19-21, 28, 29 and Revelation 2:14, 20?
2.
Paul seems willing to accept more than one perspective on
the issue of food offered to idols. He imagines that the
church will harbor both members who believe it appropri-
ate to eat such food and those who do not. On what basis do
we distinguish between acceptable diversity and harmful
division?
3.
How can you help your local church or Sabbath School
class more effectively serve its new members?
SUMMARY:
Helpful Christian behavior requires both sound infor-
mation and sensitivity to the spiritual well-being of others. Encourag-
ing those around us, especially those young in the faith, should be a
high priority.
62
r
,
Mean
All Are Precious in His Sight
David Ferraro
How large is your church? 50? 100? 500? When was the last
time the church held a baptism? Are members talking about
enlarging the church?
In Niger [Nee-JAIR], a Muslim country south of the Sahara
Desert in the heart of Africa, the church has 54 members—in the
entire country!
Sharing the gospel in Niger is difficult. A person who wants to
become a Christian faces serious problems. New believers often
are treated as lepers, isolated from their families and loved ones.
But God is working in Niger, and exciting things are happening.
Adamou lives in a small town 90 miles south of the capital city
of Niamey, Niger. He became a Christian in 1988. In 1994 he
learned of the Adventist church in Niamey. He contacted Pastor
Zakari and requested a visit. The pastor came and began Bible
studies with Adamou and some of his friends. Adamou was ex-
cited about the message of the Sabbath and other truths he was
learning. He joined the Adventist church.
Adamou, like many young people of Niger, had problems find-
ing work. That meant he had lots of time to share his new beliefs
with others. He is so successful in stirring up interest in God, that
Pastor Zakari established a small company of believers in his
village. They meet in a small hut on Sabbath mornings. Several
new believers were baptized, and the little group grew to about 13
people. When the pastor visited, he brought great joy—five Bibles,
so the believers would not all have to share Adamou's Bible.
Each member of the little congregation has stories of pain and
victory. One young man was disowned and faced starvation until
the believers gave him a large bag of rice. A young girl, ready to
be baptized, is pleading with her father to allow her to become a
Christian. But her father, a teacher of the Koran, has threatened to
disown her if she identifies with Christians. Still she waits and
hopes and prays that he will change his mind.
The believers have outgrown their little hut-church, and the
mission is looking for a larger meeting place for them.
The church in Niger is small, but each member is precious in
the sight of God. Pray for the spirit of God to be poured out on the
faithful believers in Niger. Pray for Adamou and his outreach
efforts, and for the young girl who risks everything to follow the
precious truth of God.
David Ferraro is president of the Niger Mission in West Africa.
L._
Lesson 8
February 15-21
At the Lord's Table
11,0"mraw--
mairim..• to -
gillf.14114
11124
14C-
1:21,
4\-
1171
1ti
lli
illrooll1111,--4-rwarlinftvigifirArite..., 00! • se
ir
l
gbailliirgtil
k
*A"
• ,s1,
."4.44
r
ftsr
-
Wr•
4-gtots*,./ fttAwilltSt411111
.
wo 41i
irinleAg
OS
all
Iseillitr
gi /501
'114,111711tilieelr
-.^a1":4er41.474
417‘
NI
II milli
ilitEsplatIAt s •
# • - "V • '
II
grIr
Oore. vIr •
1
!•1
1).
.°1114.`
-itherw
-
at
t
4,0_1
0
1
%
WO
1
41
1
1
74
24
7
4;
4
7,
*
4
a.
riffisti
apt.
-
4104410.
••"•.
1
r.
.
4
4cs/ a 11rva'AMWAI
b
-
tgfr
o•fiS.'$-gr.t+
Airiko
°
11
111-•
""iii.
4
.
1ff
Mrmiris
i
ra41
,
'. "
Sabbath Afternoon
READ FOR THIS WEEK'S STUDY: 1 Cor. 10:1-13; 11:2-34.
MEMORY TEXT: "For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink
this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come" (1 Corinthians
11:26).
KEY THOUGHT:
Christ gathers us to His table, where we drink
from one cup and eat from one loaf in thoughtful contemplation of the
provisions of God's grace. From this vantage point of God's family
table we are to ponder our relationship with our crucified, risen, and
soon-returning Lord, and our relationships with one another.
THE RISEN LORD INVITES YOU TO SUPPER AT HIS
TABLE.
"The ordinances will be celebrated next Sabbath." What is
your response when that line appears in the church bulletin? Does any
unwelcome, negative reaction rise in your mind? Is the first thought,
"Again, so soon?" Many of us, perhaps even most of us, have a great
need to deepen our appreciation for sitting at the table with our Lord.
That the Christian believers at Corinth were experiencing consider-
able difficulty with the Lord's Supper brings us peculiar comfort.
Compared to the gluttonous neglect of destitute church members
displayed in the pages of 1 Corinthians, our own lack of appreciation
may seem a minor fault. However, Paul invites us, along with those
erring believers, into the Upper Room to watch the Lord at the Last
Supper. If we watch closely and listen carefully, we shall never be the
same.
64
Sunday
February 15
ANCIENT SINS (1 Cor.
10:1-13).
What ideas about Christian ceremonies do you think Paul
attempted to correct in 1 Corinthians 10:1-13?
In treating erroneous views of the Lord's Supper and baptism, Paul
lists four sins of God's people as examples of "what not to do." For
each sin, Paul recalls a specific incident in Israel's wilderness experi-
ence:
Sin
Biblical Event
Idolatry (verse 7)
Worship of the golden calf (Exod.
32:1-6)
Immorality (verse 8)
Plague for immoral worship of the
Baal of Peor (Numbers 25)
Putting Christ to the test
(verse 9)
Plague of serpents resulting from
impatience (Num. 21:4-9)
Complaining (verse 10)
Korah, Dathan, and Abiram; the ten
spies (Numbers 16; 13; 14)
The references to these stories are seen as examples for those "on
whom the ends of the ages have come" (1 Cor. 10:6, 11, NRSV).
Paul's reference to the end time makes the principle all the more
appropriate to us!
What parallels existed between the experience of ancient Israel
and the Christians in Corinth? What parallels could be traced to
our own experience?
The sins of ancient Israel are paralleled in the experience of the
Christians in Corinth. Paul deals with idolatry (8:1-13) and will do so
again (10:14-22). Likewise, he has warned them against immorality
and noted that they are "arrogant" about it (5:2, NRSV; Num. 25:6).
The Corinthians are "putting Christ to the test" by linking their par-
ticipation in the Lord's Supper with their involvement in idol
feasts (1 Cor. 10:14-22). And, in their failure to follow Paul's direc-
tives (for example, 1 Cor. 5:9, 13) and their complaints against his
leadership, they are reflecting the rebellion of ancient Israel.
"God would have His people in these days review with a
humble heart and teachable spirit the trials through which
ancient Israel
passed...."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
p. 293.
65
Monday
February 16
CONFIDENCE, FALSE AND TRUE (1 Cor. 10:1-13).
What earmarks of false spiritual confidence were in evidence at
Corinth? 1 Cor. 10:1-5, 12.
Some seem to have developed a strong and misplaced confidence
in their spiritual invincibility. They apparently touted their participa-
tion in baptism and the Lord's Supper as providing spiritual security.
They believed themselves "safe" even if they were immoral (6:12-20)
or participated boldly in idol feasts (8:10; 10:14-22). Paul debunks
this false sense of security. He argues that the Israelites had also been
"baptized" and had eaten spiritual food and drink but were anything
but "safe."
What is the nature of true Christian confidence? 1 Cor. 10:13.
Compare 1 John 3:18-22; 5:11-13.
Paul reveals the true source of Christian confidence. It is not
participation in baptism and the Lord's Supper, but God's faithfulness
and the divine provision of refuge. True Christian confidence, while
keeping us fully aware of our susceptibility to temptation, assures us
that God is faithful and eager to help us in our weakness.
Some of the Corinthians erred in making "too much" of bap-
tism and the Lord's Supper. In what might we err in making too
little of these ceremonies? What might be the negative conse-
quences in commiting such an error?
Paul in no way demeans the ceremonies of baptism and the Lord's
Supper. He calls Christians back to their baptism as the pivotal event
of their experience (Rom. 6:3, 4; Gal. 3:27; Col. 2:12). And his
respect for the Lord's Supper is evident (1 Cor. 10:14-22; 11:17-34).
Ellen White writes of the Lord's Supper, "It is the means by which His
[Christ's] great work for us is to be kept fresh in our minds . . . It is at
these, His own appointments, that Christ meets His people, and ener-
gizes them by His presence."—The
Desire of Ages,
pp. 653-656.
"Strong faith in a weak plank will land you in the river, but
weak faith in a strong plank will get you across."—Paul Little,
How to Give Away Your Faith
(Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity
Press, 1976), p. 112.
66
Tuesday
February 17
STARVING AT THE LORD'S TABLE (1 Cor. 11:17-22, 27-34).
What would it have been like to attend a "fellowship luncheon"
and the Lord's Supper at Corinth? 1 Cor. 11:17-22, 33, 34.
A house dating from Paul's day has been excavated in Corinth. The
house of a well-to-do Corinthian citizen, it likely reflects the type of
houses in which the churches met. A small dining room could accom-
modate up to nine people, while an adjoining court could hold thirty
to forty. The host, then, would recline in the dining room with an inner
circle of friends, while others would be seated outside in the court-
yard.
To this architectural difference may have been added a difference
in menu. Roman custom called for serving different types of food
based on social status. The host's friends, people of considerable
social status, would have had leisure time and could arrive early to
enjoy large portions of excellent food. Members of lower classes,
especially slaves, would have to complete their duties before partici-
pating as second-class citizens in the church gathering. (See Jerome
Murphy-O'Connor,
St. Paul's Corinth,
pp. 153-161.)
The scene, then, is not a happy one. The class structures of the
world have invaded the table of the Lord. One group gorges them-
selves with rich foods, while another struggles to satisfy their hunger.
What remedies does Paul suggest for the situation at Corinth?
1 Cor. 11:22, 27-34.
In the KJV, 1 Corinthians 11:27 reads, "Wherefore whosoever
shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall
be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord." Paul's real concern is
that the believers not participate "in an unworthy manner" (see NKJV,
NIV, RSV, etc.). Paul does call for self-examination (verse 28). Such
examination will bring realization of how unworthy we are of God's
grace. We can never be worthy except in His worthiness. Seeing our
lack of worth is what should compel us to seek His grace at His table.
One way that we can be unworthy to approach the Lord's table is to
feel that we are somehow worthy to do so and more deserving than
others.
Can you think of ways in which the social structures of the
world continue to invade the church? What remedies are avail-
able? What positive and practical steps could you take?
67
Wednesday
February 18
IN REMEMBRANCE . . . UNTIL HE COMES (1 Cor. 11:23-26).
Read 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 and imagine yourself to be a
participant at that first supper.
The situation at Corinth is so serious that their ceremony no longer
deserves the title "the Lord's Supper" (1 Cor. 11:20). Paul obviously
hopes that they will once again gather for a true Lord's Supper. To
that end he ushers them into the upper room, inviting them to recline
around the table and watch Jesus host that first Christian supper. In its
true form this event is to be repeated again and again until that day
when the saints join in the marriage supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19:7-9).
What did Paul hope his readers would learn by recalling the
upper room? What thoughts are uppermost in your mind when
you participate in the Lord's Supper? What would you have said
or done if you were a participant at that first supper?
Our understanding of the upper-room story is enriched by recalling
the context in which Paul shares it. The selfish hoarding of the Corinthians
(1 Cor. 11:21, 22) must cease in the light of two events: Christ's death
and His coming. Christ's sharing of bread and cup contrasts with the
selfish practices displayed in Corinth. And Christ was not just sharing
mere food and drink, but offering Himself! In addition, Christ's com-
ing implies a future judgment at which we will be called to account for
our behavior (see 1 Cor. 11:29-32; compare Matt. 25:31-46).
Seventh-day Adventists do not believe, as some groups teach, that
the emblems actually become the body and blood of Jesus. Instead,
we hold that the bread and wine are rich symbols. Among the reasons
is a simple one. When Jesus offered the Supper to His disciples in the
upper room, He was physically present with them. They could not
have mistaken the emblems for Him! However, the elements
are
significant, for they represent the body and blood of our risen Lord.
Christ invites us to His table and offers us in the celebration of the
ordinances His own presence, forgiveness, power, and life.
The upper-room story is one with a purpose. For Christians,
the repetition of that story is not simply a pious ceremony. It
provides a potent reminder of Christ's self-sacrifice and a call to
self-denial and ministry. It points toward a coming Lord who
will call us to accountability for our treatment of one another.
68
Thursday
February 19
THE UNVEILING (1 Cor. 11:2-16).
Read 1 Corinthians 11:2-16. What situation do you think moti-
vated Paul to share this counsel?
Paul commends the Corinthians for following "the traditions" he
has shared with them. Verses 3-16 suggest, though, that Paul wishes
to address one instance where some clarification was needed. Some
Christian women in Corinth seem to have felt that they no longer
needed to follow time-honored customs. They were participating in
public worship unveiled. Paul's central concern is for the good name
of Christianity. He does not wish for the fledgling movement to be
"disgraced" by adopting a dress code that others would judge immod-
est or immoral (see verses 5, 6).
In
what ways may we correctly apply 1 Corinthians 11:2-16?
In most parts of the world, the wearing of veils is no longer
practiced, and this passage may seem irrelevant. However, there are
thoughts here that should not escape our notice. Among these is a
principle applicable to any society and time. Christians are to display
a modesty and decorum that will allow the good news about Jesus
unimpeded access to those who observe their behavior.
Also, note that women
are
praying and prophesying in worship
(verses 5, 13). Paul does not counter their participation as such, but
only the fact that some are doing so unveiled.
In addition, Paul seems uncomfortable moving too far from the
principle of interdependence between men and women. He pauses to
restate it in a most vivid way: "In the Lord, however, woman is not
independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as woman
came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes
from God" (1 Cor. 11:11, 12, NIV). As in the Lord's Supper, where
the rich should not shame the poor, here neither men nor women are to
lay claim to priority and so be "contentious" (verse 16).
"The opinion and conduct of the large body of believers was to be
respected, and not opposed by a few self-opinionated members of the
church at Corinth. This principle is always true; one individual or a
few individuals should not feel that their ideas are superior to the
general opinion of the church as a whole, and seek to impose those
ideas on the majority."—SDA
Bible Commentray,
vol. 6, p. 759.
Are there ways in which your behavior is impeding the access
of the message of a returning Lord?
69
Friday
February 20
FURTHER STUDY:
Read Psalms 105, 106. Ellen White, having
quoted 1 Corinthians 10:1-5, writes: "The experience of Israel, re-
ferred to in the above words by the apostle, and as recorded in the one
hundred fifth and one hundred sixth psalms, contains lessons of warn-
ing that the people of God in these last days especially need to study. I
urge that these chapters be read at least once every
week."—Testimo-
nies to Ministers,
pp. 98, 99. What do you think are some "lessons of
warning" that we need to hear from these passages today?
First Corinthians 11 alludes to the treatment of the poor in our
midst. On this theme see Matthew 25:40-46; James 1:22-27. Ellen
White discusses the theme in
Testimonies,
vol. 2, pp. 24-37. "It is not
the abundance of your meetings that God accepts. It is not the numer-
ous prayers, but the rightdoing, doing the right thing and at the right
time. It is to be less self-caring and more benevolent. Our souls must
expand."—p. 36.
Paul's is the earliest account we have of the "Lord's Supper."
Compare it to the accounts in the Gospels: Matt. 26:26-30; Mk.
14:22-25;
Lk.
22:14-23.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.
How could you help to make the next Communion service at
your church a more deeply spiritual experience?
2.
How could your class or congregation minister more effec-
tively to the poor?
3.
What issues is your local church facing just now that are, at
least in some ways, similar to the issues of abuses of the
Lord's Supper and veiling in 1 Corinthians? Does Paul's
handling of these situations suggest solutions?
SUMMARY:
We do not live the Christian life in isolation, but in
community. In worship and in the Lord's Supper the Lord's family
gathers. At these occasions, as always, the risen Christ is concerned
about how His family members relate to one another and their witness
to the world. These important gatherings should express the unity and
love of members for one another and should help to advance the
Christian mission.
70
Keeping The "Mission" in Mission Schools
Margaret Nathaniel
Traditionally the church has thought of mission schools
as
simple schools, often little more than a thatch-roofed hut, where
a
missionary or national worker teaches reading and writing as a
way to introduce a group of people to God. While some of these
schools still exist, many "mission" schools have made impressive
strides, and now are large, well-staffed institutions. But they still
are mission schools in the truest sense.
In India, for instance, God still works through mission schools
to draw students who otherwise are resistant to Christianity into
an
environment where Christ is honored and worshiped. The city of
Madurai [MAH-do-ray] in Southern India is strongly Hindu. But
four Adventist mission schools are effective soul-winning institu-
tions. Each school enrolls more than 1,000 students, and each is
known for its academic excellence.
One of these schools, Madurai North SDA High School, enrolls
nearly 3,000 students. It ranks at the top in academic performance,
and carries on an active spiritual ministry as well. In fact, the stu-
dents and staff have so many different outreach activities, that the
school recently voted to hire an evangelist to coordinate their evan-
gelistic efforts! He incorporated several existing activities to plan
and prepare Vacation Bible School programs in five previously
unentered villages near the school. Each VBS enrolled at least 100
eager children, and drew enough interests to follow through with
Branch Sabbath Schools. In one village a Hindu woman offered her
home to conduct the Branch Sabbath School. Within a few months
the first eight believers were baptized in this town.
The following year the school conducted VBS in five more
villages, and followed up by inviting more than 300 children to
experience summer camp. Most children had never been camping,
and they loved it! These Hindu children learned more about the
love of Jesus as they experienced the love of the volunteers who
directed the camp. So far, 13 people have been baptized as a result
of the second year of VBS outreach.
The staff and students of Madurai North High School plan to
conduct VBS outreach in another five villages this summer. It's
little wonder that the school has a reputation for excellence in
spiritual and intellectual fields. They take seriously the "mission"
in "mission school."
Margaret Nathaniel is children's ministries director in the Southern
Asia Division.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission, Awareness
71
Lesson 9
February 22-28
One Body, Many Parts—
One Church, Many Members
Sabbath Afternoon
READ FOR THIS WEEK'S STUDY: 1 Corinthians 12.
MEMORY TEXT: "And whether one member suffer, all the
members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the
members rejoice with it" (1 Corinthians 12:26).
KEY THOUGHT:
The health of the church requires the proper
function of the gifts the Holy Spirit has given to each member. We all
must commit ourselves to discovering and utilizing our own gifts and
appreciating those God has granted to others.
"GOD CALLS FOR UNITY IN DIVERSITY AMONG HIS
PEOPLE.
Life in nature objects to uniformity. In the branches of the
vine there is unity in diversity. There is a variety in a tree: scarcely two
leaves are just alike. And this variety adds to the perfection of the tree as
a whole. In the human body, from the eyes to the feet there is variety.
And all these members are dependent upon one another to make a perfect
whole. In all the variety composing the human body, there is harmonious
action, in conformity to the laws controlling the being. There is an
unseen, conscious, invisible unity, keeping the bodily machinery in
action, each part working in harmony with every other part."—Ellen G.
White, Review and Herald, article 41, 1900; reprinted as "Unity in
Diversity,"
Adventist Review,
February 17, 1994, p. 14.
In this lesson we will explore how in our diverse spiritual gifts we
may experience such harmony for building up the body of Christ.
72
Sunday
February 22
UNWRAPPING GOD'S GIFTS
(1 Cor. 12:8-10, 28-30).
In 1 Corinthians 12 Paul begins his treatment of the theme of
spiritual gifts and continues to chapter 14. In chapter 12 he underlines
the need for a diversity of gifts and ministries, all of which are given
to the church by the unifying power of the Holy Spirit. Then he points
his readers to "the most excellent way" (12:31) of love and compares
the relatively passing nature of spiritual gifts with the eternal durabil-
ity of love (1 Corinthians 13). In chapter 14, Paul turns to the gift that
had proved especially problematic in Corinth-the gift of tongues.
This week we consider chapter 12; the next two weeks, 13 and 14.
Compare the three lists of gifts and ministries provided in
1 Corinthians 12. What remains consistent and what varies in the
lists? (1 Cor. 12:8-10, 28-30).
VERSES 8-10
VERSE 28
VERSES 29, 30
1. Wisdom
1. Apostles 1. Apostles
2. Knowledge
2. Prophets
2.
Prophets
3.
Faith
3. Teachers
3. Teachers
4. Healing
4. Miracles
4. Miracles
5. Miracles
5. Healing
5. Healing
6. Prophecy
6. Helps
6. Tongues
7. Discerning of Spirits
7. Governments
7. Interpretation
8. Tongues
8. Tongues
9. Interpretation of tongues
The lists in 1 Corinthians 12 are by no means complete. For further
study we could include those in Romans 12:3-8 ( the gifts of ministry,
exhortation, giving, leading, and mercy), Ephesians 4:11 (evangelists
and pastor-teachers), and 1 Peter 4:10, 11 (which mentions only speaking
and service). Paul's concern is not to give an exhaustive list of gifts.
His concern is that the Christians in Corinth avail themselves of the
Holy Spirit's rich variety of gifts that will fully equip the church for
ministry. There will always be some differences among church mem-
bers, yet that should not hinder their unity in laboring for Christ.
All "should seek to be in perfect harmony. And yet no one
should feel that he cannot labor with those who do not see just as
he sees, and who do not in their labors follow just his plans. If all
manifest a humble, teachable spirit, there need be no difficulty.
God has set in the church different gifts. These are precious in
their proper places, and all may act a part in the work of prepar-
ing a people for Christ's soon
coming."-Gospel Workers,
p. 481.
73
Monday
February 23
YOU ARE A GIFTED CHILD (1 Corinthians 12).
Among the ideas Paul shares on spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians
12, which ones would you judge to be most important today?
Why?
Paul writes to troubled Corinthian Christians who are experiencing
difficulties with spiritual gifts. We can be grateful for Paul's treatment
of those ancient problems, for they leave us with many helpful con-
cepts. Among the ideas especially important today are: 1. All mem-
bers of God's church are gifted (verses 11-13, 27; Rom. 12:4-8; Eph.
4:7, 16); 2. It is presumed that the church as a body will be healthiest
when each part is working in the way God designed (verse 18). An
important implication of these thoughts is that we should make an
effort to determine how God has gifted us to function in the church.
"Strive for the spiritual gifts" (1 Cor. 14:1, NRSV).
Think of three possible ways in which you might determine
your spiritual gifts:
1.
2.
3.
British preacher Charles Spurgeon once visited a woman who lived
in a London poorhouse. He noticed, hanging on the wall of her shed, a
framed document. He asked about the certificate and the woman told
him that it had been given to her by an aged and invalid gentleman for
whom she had cared. In appreciation for her care, the man had scribbled
on the paper and presented it to her. She framed the piece and hung it
on her wall. After considerable persuasion, Spurgeon was finally able
to take the document to the local bank. The manager exclaimed,
"We've been wondering to whom the old gentleman left his money!"
(Source unknown.) Living in poverty, she held deed to a fortune.
Could the same be true of us? Has the Spirit given you treasures that
lie unknown and unused?
To the degree that we "choose not to (or simply neglect to)
recognize, develop, and exercise our gifts, the church is less than
it could be. Less than God intended it to be."—Don Jacobsen,
"What Spiritual Gifts Mean to Me," Adventist Review,
December
25, 1986, p. 12.
74
Tuesday
February 24
THE GIFT OF DISCERNMENT (1
Cor. 12:10).
Paul, writing to the youthful pastor Timothy, urges him to "stir up
the gift of God, which is in thee" (2 Tim. 1:6). With Timothy, each of
us has a responsibility to rekindle or, perhaps, discover for the first
time the ministry God has entrusted to us. Among helpful ways to
explore one's gifts is to study carefully the Bible's descriptions of the
various gifts.
The first quarter of 1997 was devoted entirely to the study of
spiritual gifts. To refresh your mind, you may refer to those Sabbath
School lessons.
Given the wide variety of spiritual phenomena in the modern world,
the church today has a special need for the gift of "discerning of
spirits" to be manifested in our midst (1 Cor. 12:10). Could it be that
God has granted you this gift? This gift is generally understood by
specialists in this field to be the ability granted by the Holy Spirit to
some members of the church to know with certainty whether a teach-
ing or behavior is truly inspired by and approved of God.
Why is the gift of discernment important? (1 John 4:1).
Are there any guidelines that are helpful in exercising the gift?
(1 Cor. 12:3; 1 John 4:2, 3).
Read Hebrews 5:14 in conjunction with 1 Corinthians 2:14;
11:29. If all those who are spiritually mature are able to distin-
guish good from evil, why does the church need people gifted with
"discerning of spirits"?
When it comes to discernment, we often think of others' behavior;
but according to 1 Corinthians 11:31, who would be an appropriate
target for the gift of discernment? (Note: 1 Corinthians 12:10 uses the
Greek noun
diakrisis
to describe more closely this gift of discernment,
rather than the idea of judging. The corresponding verb
diakrin
is used
in 1 Corinthians 11:31 and 14:29.)
Based on Hebrews 4:12, what should serve as the basis on
which the gift of discernment operates?
How might this gift of "discerning the spirits" function in a
helpful way in your class?
75
Wednesday
February 25
ONE BODY, MANY PARTS (1 Cor. 12:12-19).
How does Paul illustrate the "unity in diversity" of the church?
1 Cor. 12:12-19.
Paul uses an example that would have been familiar to his audi-
ence, for it had been used frequently by Greek and Latin authors.
These writers seem to have drawn on the Aesop fable,
The Belly and
the Feet.•
"The belly and the feet were arguing about their importance,
and when the feet kept saying that they were so much stronger that
they even carried the stomach around, the stomach replied, Tut, my
good friends, if
I
didn't take in food, you wouldn't be able to carry
anything.' "—Lloyd W. Daly,
Aesop Without Morals
(New York &
London: Thomas Yoseloff, 1961), p. 148.
Paul's use may also reflect a feature of the local Asclepion, the
temple where Corinthians worshiped the Greek god of healing, Asclepius.
Those who felt they had been healed by Asclepius would sometimes
bring a small clay image of the body part thought to have been healed
as an offering to the god. Many of these replicas of hands, feet, arms,
legs, and the like have been found among the temple's ruins. The
prominent display of these "severed" body parts in Corinth may have
given Paul's image of a living, unified body special force for his
readers.
How would you summarize the themes that Paul is trying to
highlight in 1 Corinthians 12:12-19?
Many tend to think of "unity" and "diversity" as two opposites, two
extremes. If one stresses unity too much, diversity is surely harmed. If
diversity becomes the watchword, unity is threatened. The two must
be held in delicate balance. The genius of Paul's body metaphor is to
expose the fallacy of such thought when applied to spiritual gifts and
ministries. Reflect on this statement and see how well it describes
your congregation: Just as the human body is both marvelously uni-
fied and incredibly diverse, so ideally is the body of Christ. A failure
to foster the appropriate diversity of gifts actually threatens unity
(verse 19). The one body has many parts. The varied parts join to-
gether to form one body (verse 12).
"God's living Church has parts, but it has no parties."—James
Moffatt,
The First Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians
(New York &
London: Harper and Brothers, n.d.), p. 159.
76
Thursday
February 26
HONOR TO THE HUMBLER PARTS (1 Cor. 12:20-26).
What plan has God followed in arranging the parts of His
body, the church? 1 Cor. 12:20-26.
An elecrical outlet is usually obscured by furniture or other ob-
jects in a room, while a light fixture is displayed in a prominent place.
The "humble" outlet is of no less importance than the beautiful light
fixture. For without the outlet's function, no dazzling light can be
produced. They are indispensable to each other as the electrical
current flows from one to the other.
There are some members of Christ's body who enjoy serving
"behind the scenes," while others bask in the "limelight." Where
do you enjoy serving most, and why?
What is the spiritual implication of investing greater honor to
the parts of the body less honorable as alluded to in 1 Corinthians
12:23, 24? In what affirming ways may we give recognition to the
unrecognized diligent members?
Unfortunately, there are occasions when dedicated church mem-
bers who serve tirelessly are not made to feel appreciated by the ones
serving in the "spotlight." Yes, various tasks are essential to be
accomplished behind the scenes, but let us not take for granted our
brothers and sisters serving us in this way. Why not take some time
today to express appreciation verbally or to send a note of thanks.
What are the specific spiritual benefits that Paul mentions in
1 Corinthians 12:25, 26 in connection with honoring members
whose service is not so obvious?
"The eye cannot say to the hand, 'I do not need you,' or the
head to the feet, 'I do not need you.' Quite the contrary: those
parts of the body which seem to be more frail than others are
indispensable, and those parts of the body which we regard as
less honourable are treated with special honour. The parts we
are modest about are treated with special respect, whereas our
respectable parts have no such need. But God has combined the
various parts of the body, giving special honour to the humbler
parts" (1 Cor. 12:21-24, REB).
77
Friday
February 27
FURTHER STUDY:
Outside of 1 Corinthians, the major passages
that deal with spiritual gifts or ministries are: Rom. 12:1-8; Eph.
4:1-16; 1 Peter 4:7-11. In addition, on the idea of the church as a body,
consult the following passages: (Do they all actually discuss the church
as body? What do they add to the thoughts in 1 Corinthians 12?)
1 Cor. 10:16, 17; 11:29; Eph. 1:22, 23; 2:14-16; 3:6; 5:21-33; Col.
1:15-20; 2:18, 19; 3:15;
Testimonies,
vol. 3, pp. 445-447.
"God wants His people to be united in the closest bonds of Chris-
tian fellowship; confidence in our brethren is essential to the prosper-
ity of the church; union of action is important in a religious crisis. . . .
Jesus would have His followers subject one to another; then God can
use them as instruments to save one another; for one may not discern
the dangers which another's eye is quick to perceive; but if the
undiscerning will in confidence obey the warning, they may be saved
great perplexities and
trials."—Testimonies,
vol. 3, p. 446.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.
How could we shape the way we select "church officers" to
reflect more adequately the New Testament discussions of
spiritual gifts and ministries?
2.
Does God customize the gifts He gives His people for a given
era or culture? Should we expect all of the gifts mentioned
in the New Testament to be functional today? Will any
others be operative?
3.
The Corinthians faced a twofold problem. Some gifts, espe-
cially tongues, seem to have been overly active or improp-
erly employed while others may have been underemployed
(however, see 1 Cor. 1:7). Is the same true today? What
gifts are most needed to spread the good news of Christ's
return in your culture?
4.
What impact would it have on your congregation if the
members really believed that each one is gifted and is in-
valuable to the spiritual health of all?
SUMMARY:
In 1 Corinthians 12 Paul highlights both the unity and the
diversity of the human body to underline the need for a variety of
spiritual gifts and ministries in God's church. We must be active in
taking up the inherent challenge in the chapter—to discover and affirm
our own gifts and those of others in the body of Christ.
78
Ma
k
He Came to Argue
Christian Aliddeki
Thomas Mukasa came to the evangelistic meetings to argue,
but God had other plans for him.
Thomas had heard about the young people who had camped
outside his village. He had seen some of them working on a road
and others helping his neighbor with his crop. He had heard that
they were clearing wells—and even washing clothes and cooking
meals for old people. He wondered why these young people were
working so hard for people they did not know. Then he learned
that they were building a mud-and-wattle church in the village. So
that was it! They were trying to convert people! Well, he thought,
they weren't going to convert
him!
One evening Thomas heard singing from the direction of the
new church. He saw people walking toward the building and
wondered if the young people were going to start preaching now.
He was not interested in religion; he found comfort in his bottle of
waragi,
Ugandan beer. But by the second week of meetings, Tho-
mas decided to go to the church and investigate. And if the preacher
said something about his drinking, he would start an argument. He
fortified his resolve with plenty of
waragi,
and tucked a spare
bottle into his old bag. Then he staggered into the meeting.
An usher seated Thomas up front, but Thomas was so drunk he
fell asleep, waking only when the youth sang the closing song. The
next evening he came again, still intending to argue with the
preacher. He was not so drunk, and did not fall asleep, but the
meeting ended before he could interject his opinion. He continued
attending the meetings, but each night he was a little more sober.
One night the speaker appealed for those who wanted to follow
Jesus to stand. Several people responded, including Thomas. When
the preacher called for believers to keep the Sabbath and be bap-
tized, Thomas again responded. By now he was sober. He began
studying the Bible and was baptized with 100 others.
Now, instead of arguing with the preacher, Thomas is helping to
build a permanent church. The believers have made burned bricks
for the walls, but they have no money for sand or cement for mortar,
or for timber or iron sheets for the roof. Pray that God will supply
their needs as they seek to reach out to others with God's love.
Christian Aliddeki is president of the Uganda Union in Eastern Africa
Division.
PrOd
IC
1
/
4
2(.1 h \ lhC
ICIILT;11
011CCIVI1CC )111CC
11
,
,:•1011
\
CI1C
Lesson 10
March 1-7
High Praise for Love
eirviji, ,
Illo
TiiN wit
wilijill'oa II 0 *„ . .
,
a
s 4
. i
A_
4
r
l :o
i"A
p
F
-
1
r4
.
/
i.
.
0
-ir•,
0
4!
'
II
*
P
-
1
,
1.
-
{ r
-
.
pi
1
a
"
p
1t
7,
t;r
ai
t
o
a
uv
l
t
*
i
I
l
I
i
"
:
r
.4yta
ii rl
r
i
4.
l•
ti
:
sTavti
s
0salf"1la.
l
a
/41,
i
f
:so44
er gimai.T1n0/
si
44L.--
-
Y
JPI
-
SUPllNM____u•
l
/
popailMirr
,
-
il7.---."'"
_
9,rsuloIil
111111010S7-11,1
"ia4.frairm.I
..
' .".
1141114
.VIP ai i
4
.
4
`I •
WOMAN
itel
.„-
-
.. e •
P
. P
' r.
•-
'4
,
la
was
-.h.
....
f
isrmatir-.7, _
0
06,i;
r
1
. -,•,,,sirigz.,....
..,
IVIN
PSv;scr
.
...0!:'.
7
'^ ii; A ;',;
i
irvi = r';.1-0''-'e.P ler It Illii
A °roll'
A
ir.1 l'•
— - 1 l
.
' *1.
,
V
ra
I
N I I 1
i
,
o
l',"
AF:
4
.
,
--
41111
4
-
ip -
1
i
ivor..
4
a:,
a, l,
,
T
1, I
,
I
I .
1
,
, _
Aii
m
priirew
,..,,
104040.4,-.
" 11 IO li
g
f. g, _
l
r
ap
Iii
vir
e i
_
4
/T
a A, ifit
i
in
I:01i
..
1
.re
ot,..*:-*"
••
-
4
it
• A .'
vi
‘; "
11
:i
.
P-
.,•I .
Sabbath Afternoon
READ FOR THIS WEEK'S STUDY: 1 Corinthians 13.
MEMORY TEXT: "And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these
three; but the greatest of these is charity" (1 Corinthians 13:13).
KEY THOUGHT:
There can be no greater pursuit in the Christian
life than seeking to have the love of God find hands and feet and voice
through us. First Corinthians 13 invites us to participate in sharing
God's unconditional love.
EXPERIENCE THE LIFE-TRANSFORMING POWER OF
LOVE.
The glowing words of 1 Corinthians 13 are impressive. Writ-
ers seem to compete to grant honors. The chapter has been called "the
greatest, strongest, deepest thing Paul ever wrote" (Adolf Harnack).
Others expand the compliment by calling it "the most wonderful
chapter in the whole New Testament." Ellen White exhorts: "The
Lord desires me to call the attention of His people to the thirteenth
chapter of First Corinthians. Read this chapter every day, and from it
obtain comfort and strength. . . ." [The chapter will teach us] "that
Christlike love is of heavenly birth, and that without it all other
qualifications are worthless."—Ellen G. White Comments,
SDA Bible
Commentary,
vol. 6, p. 1091. Savor this magnificent chapter every
day this week, and prepare to share your experience with your class.
Experience the life-transforming power of love!
Check off your daily meditation of 1 Corinthians 13:
Sabbath
Monday
Wednesday
Friday
Sunday —
Tuesday_
Thursday —
80
Sunday
March 1
AGAPE LOVE (1 Cor. 12:29-31; 13).
How is the New Testament's love
song introduced? 1 Cor.
12:29-31.
"By all means covet the best gifts . . . as an artist would wish to be
deft with all his limbs and quick with all his senses; but above all,
cherish love, as that same artist would cultivate the pure taste which
lives and breathes within him—the secret spring of all his motions, the
faculty that prompts his skill."—Charles Spurgeon,
The Treasury of
the Bible
(Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Book House, 1981), vol. 7,
p. 196.
For Paul,
how is "love"
demonstrated
and where is it most
clearly seen? Rom.
5:6-8; Eph. 2:1-7.
Cicero, the great Roman orator who lived before the time of Christ
(106-43 B.C.), shares the following anecdote: "What cheers there
were . . . all over the theatre at a passage in the new play of my friend
and guest Pacuvius; where the king, not knowing which of the two
was Orestes, Pylades declared himself to be Orestes, that he might die
in his stead, while the real Orestes kept on asserting that it was he. The
audience rose
en masse
and clapped their hands." Cicero comments,
"And this was an incident in fiction: what would they have done, must
we suppose, if it had been in real life?"—The
Harvard Classics,
vol. 9
(New York: Collier & Son, 1909), pp. 16, 17.
Cicero, of course, had not seen the fictional become real in the life
and death of Jesus who said, "Greater love hath no man than this, that
a man lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13). Paul's under-
standing of
agape
(the Greek word for "love" that he uses in
1 Corinthians 13) as expressed in Christ's self-sacrifice is the basis for
his love song. Christ dies, not just for His friends but for those who
are His enemies—the ungodly and sinners, among whom are counted
all humankind. What would Cicero have said?
Christians think of love as "that quality we see on the cross. It
is a love for the utterly unworthy, a love that proceeds from a
God who is love. It is a love lavished on others without a thought
whether they are worthy or not. It proceeds from the nature of
the lover, not from any attractiveness in the beloved."—Leon
Morris,/
Corinthians,
Rev. ed. (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans,
1985), p. 177.
81
Monday
March 2
LOVE AND SPIRITUAL GIFTS (1 Corinthians 13, especially verses 1-3).
Paul's love song falls naturally into three parts. Verses 1-3 com-
pare love to spiritual gifts with this thought emphasized: any spiritual
gift, without love, is valueless. Verses 4-7 describe the workings of
love—what it does and what it does not do. Verses 8-13 again com-
pare love and spiritual gifts, this time contrasting the relatively pass-
ing nature of the gifts to the eternal permanence of love.
Our appreciation for this grand chapter is enriched by recalling the
context in which Paul crafts it. Paul does not isolate himself for a
decade or two and then write this exalted praise for love. Paul ad-
dresses these inspiring words to a specific context—the divided and
sometimes clamorous congregations at Corinth. 1 Corinthians 13 is
not meant to be taken as a theory. It applies to a very real situation and
speaks to our lives today.
What specific gifts and acts are listed as being "nothing" in the
absence of love? 1 Cor. 13:1-3.
The "more excellent way" of love is eternal, for God is eternal. No
gifts or acts are worth much unless they are immersed in love. This
fruit of love must propel the exercise of any gift. Love has to do with
our state of being, while gifts relate to our state of doing. Only the
love of Christ in the heart can transform who we are into what we do.
"When love fills the heart, it will flow out to others, not because of
favors received from them, but because love is the principle of
action."—The
Mount of Blessing,
p. 38.
Of the gifts cited by Paul in verses. 1-3, "tongues" and "knowl-
edge" seem to have been especially prized by the Corinthians. Are
there gifts or qualities that you prize so highly that they may
obscure the excellence of love?
Imagine how you feel when you hear gifted preachers waxing
eloquent about love in their sermons, yet in their contacts with others
they seem cold and uncaring. We all need the Holy Spirit to purify our
motives so that He may empower us to possess the love that we
profess. May this be our prayer: "Dear God, we offer back to You the
gifts You have given. We confess that our motivation to exercise them
often seems mixed. The sweet movings of Your Spirit are so often
corrupted by our own selfish ambitions. Grant us fresh use of these
gifts of Yours, inspired more purely by that self-giving love You so
clearly displayed on Calvary. Amen."
82
Tuesday
March 3
THE WORKINGS OF LOVE
(1 Corinthians
13, especially verses 4-7).
Verses 1-3 challenge us to examine motivations that drive our
actions and our exercise of spiritual gifts. Verses 4-7 challenge us in a
different way. Every human heart cringes before the standard sketched
in these short verses. Love does not insist on its own way. But we
often do! Love is not irritable or resentful. But we sometimes are!
Love hopes all things. But hope so often fades from our hearts. We at
once thrill at the heights of pure love and despair of ever providing an
adequate reflection of it.
In sharing such an exalted picture of love (verses 4-7), does
Paul mean to discourage or encourage his readers? How can this
be discouraging in aspiring to reach this ideal?
Just as gifts and ministries are given by God's Spirit, so is love. It is
impossible for us to generate so sublime a thing in our own lives. As
with spiritual gifts, we find ourselves recipients, not manufacturers.
Paul does not mean to entice the Corinthian Christians with a love that
they cannot experience. Rather, he pleads for their actions to be
prompted by the greatest of God's gifts, the "more excellent way" of
love. The appropriate response to Paul's high-powered words on love
is not despair. It is, first, to confess how consistently we have failed to
express such love. And, second, to pray for open hearts to receive
God's gift of love that we might truly bless those around us.
Which of the "workings of love" described in
verses
4-7 do you
most need to have expressed in your life just now? How can you
start making this a reality in your life today?
With regard to Paul's phrase, "Love is not resentful," Lewis Smedes
writes: "The power of agapic love drives us to a new beginning. Love
lets the past die. It moves people to a new beginning
without
settling
the past. . . .
"We are enabled by a love that keeps no accounts since they were
settled by Christ at his cross. From the cross, God moves on to new
history. . . .
"Love is the power that drives us toward the
other
who has done us
wrong because it is able to tear up every moral scorecard. This is
reconciliation, and reconciliation is love's ultimate
goal"—Love Within
Limits: A Realist's View of 1 Corinthians 13
(Grand Rapids, Mich.:
Eerdmans, 1978), pp. 71, 72.
83
Wednesday
March 4
THE PERMANENCE OF LOVE (1 Corinthians 13, especially verses
8-13).
In the final section of this great chapter, Paul contrasts the perma-
nence of love with the comparative impermanence of spiritual gifts.
What a superb tactic for people so focused on the exercise of spiritual
gifts that they have missed the surpassing importance of love!
Do verses 8-13 suggest how a Christian should relate to "time"
and "eternity"? What are some consequences of focusing only on
one to the exclusion of the other? Compare Matthew 24:36-44.
Paul does not suggest that Christians should forget about spiritual
gifts, even though they will not last beyond time. He argues that
God's gifts provided for time must be authenticated with that grand
gift of love furnished for eternity. We should have God's eternal
kingdom as our primary goal. But this does not mean we should
ignore the resources given for this age. We should use the present to
prepare for God's future—a service of love till Jesus comes.
How does our current knowledge compare with the knowledge
we shall be granted in God's eternal future? 1 Cor. 13:9-12. How
does this fact help you live with some unanswered questions?
Corinth was noted for producing some of the finest bronze mirrors
available. When Paul says "we see in a mirror, dimly" (verse 12,
NKJV), he probably does not refer to a distorted image so much as an
indirect one. The revelations of God in Christ are
not
inaccurate, but
our understanding of them is limited.
What are among the things we can know now? Eph.
1:18, 19.
The Christian must not claim to know more than God has
revealed. Nor should one underestimate and demean the pre-
cious truths God has made known. "Thank God
we do know;
but
let it check our conceit, we know only in part. Beloved, the
objects we look at are distant, and we are nearsighted. The
revelation of God is ample and profound, but our understanding
is weak and shallow."—Spurgeon,
Treasury of the Bible, vol.
7,
p. 196.
84
Sabien's Faith, Part 1
Belinda Kent
Sabien limped into the clearing and sat down. A large tropical
ulcer on his leg caused him obvious pain. It was our first Sabbath
among the Iwam people on the May River in Papua New Guinea.
After Sabbath, my husband, John, invited Sabien to the clinic,
where he treated his wound. Gradually his sore healed, and Sabien's
gratitude overflowed.
Sabien came faithfully to church, and eventually joined the
baptismal class. He was making wonderful progress. Then one day
a few weeks before the baptism, Sabien told John that he felt he
should not be baptized just yet. Surprised, John asked him why.
Then Sabien explained that his father was building a house, and
when it was finished his father would give it to him. According to
local custom, when a house is completed, the entire village comes
to a feast given by the homeowner. Sabien's father expected him to
attend the ceremony. But beer and betel nut would be served, and
Sabien did not feel right joining the feast after being baptized.
John and Sabien prayed about the situation, then John explained
that the devil was using this ceremony to keep Sabien from follow-
ing Jesus in baptism. Sabien decided he wanted to follow Jesus
now, and not wait until after the feast. We prayed earnestly that
God would be with Sabien as he told his father of his decision.
Later Sabien returned to our home. He told us that his father had
become angry when he learned that Sabien would not drink the
beer and chew betel nut at his father's feast. He told Sabien not to
come to the feast, that he would not give Sabien the house as he
had planned. So Sabien, who had looked forward to living in the
new house, was forced to move his family into a tiny, one-room
house. But Sabien was not discouraged. He had decided that it was
better to follow Jesus than to have a nice house.
Sabien was baptized. But that was not
the end of his tests of faith.
(continued next week)
Belinda Kent, her husband, John, and their
four children serve as missionaries in Papua
New Guinea under the auspices of Adventist
Frontier Missions.
Produced by the General Conference Office of N I i on .
87
Lesson 11
March 8-14
Worthwhile Worship
Sabbath Afternoon
READ FOR THIS WEEK'S STUDY: 1 Corinthians 14.
MEMORY TEXT: "Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of
spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the
church" (1 Corinthians 14:12).
KEY THOUGHT:
The way we employ our gifts in public worship
must bow to the great law of love. Our spiritual gifts must be used in
ways that build others up in Christ.
WHAT ARE THE TRUE MARKS OF THE SPIRIT'S
PRESENCE?
Since the summer of 1994, the so-called "Toronto
Blessing" has swept through many Christian circles. The movement
has been marked by a variety of phenomena including spasms, "rest-
ing in the Spirit," glossolalia, animal-like noises, and, especially,
infectious laughter. Rodney Howard-Browne has led in the "laughing
revivals." Calling himself the "Holy Ghost bartender," Howard-Browne
serves up his "new wine" of "holy laughter." Using characteristic
gestures, pumping hands up and down above someone's head or
scooping the air in a sideways motion toward a would-be recipient of
"the blessing," ministers who have drunk Howard-Browne's wine
pass it along to others. Thousands have been supposedly blessed.
If the Holy Spirit were to make Himself known in a worship
service, what would be the expected results? How does a congregation
ensure that they are participating in Spirit-led worship? What are the
true marks of the Spirit's presence in one's life? Paul's ancient coun-
sel speaks to these significant questions, which remain crucially im-
portant to us today.
88
Monday
March 9
TESTING TODAY'S TONGUES, PART I (1 Corinthians 12-14).
What principles does Paul share in his treatment of spiritual
gifts that can help us identify counterfeits of the Spirit's work?
Review 1 Corinthians 12-14.
Throughout 1 Corinthians 12-14 Paul is interested in shaping the
use of the gift of tongues at Corinth. In addition to the principle of
diversity (1 Corinthians 12) and the law of love (1 Corinthians 13),
Paul provides eight helpful directives. Today we will list three of
them, Tuesday the other five.
1. The gift of prophecy should be prominent (1 Cor. 14:1, 5; see also
12:28-31).
Why does Paul rate prophecy so highly? 1 Cor. 14:1-5, 23-25.
How does Revelation teach about the presence of the gift of
prophecy among the last-day followers of God? Rev. 12:17; 19:10.
The spiritual gift of prophecy is generally understood by specialists
in this area to be more than predictive in nature, for it also brings
God's words of encouragement, instruction, and exhortation to His
people. It is expressed in ways that are recognized by the church as
Christ-centered and biblically-based, which foster spiritual growth,
harmony, and the building up of Christ's body. No wonder Paul
encouraged the Corinthian Christians to desire especially such a gift.
2.
Spiritual gifts that are used in public worship should edify and
encourage others (1 Cor. 14:1-5; 1 Corinthians 13).
3.
Public worship should be intelligible (1 Cor. 14:6-12).
According to Jesus, how should Christian prayer contrast with
Gentile prayer? Matt. 6:7, 8.
In what ways could your prayers to God resemble heathen
prayers? How can this be remedied?
90
Tuesday
March 10
TESTING TODAY'S TONGUES, PART
II (1 Corinthians 14).
4.
The gift of tongues, if used publicly, requires interpretation (1 Cor.
14:5, 13, 27, 28).
5.
Those who speak in tongues should be able to practice self-control
(1 Cor. 14:13-19, 28).
6.
When unaccompanied by interpretation, the gift of tongues detracts
from mission (1 Cor. 14:16, 17, 20-25).
"There is a great work to be done in our world. Men and women are
to be converted, not by the gift of tongues nor by the working of
miracles, but by the preaching of Christ crucified. Why delay the
effort to make the world better? Why wait for some wonderful thing to
be done, some costly apparatus to be provided?"—My
Life Today,
p. 219.
Some "have an unmeaning gibberish which they call the unknown
tongue, which is unknown not only by man but by the Lord and all
heaven. Such gifts are manufactured by men and women, aided by the
great
deceiver."—Testimonies,
vol.1, p. 412.
7.
The number of participants should be limited (1 Cor. 14:27).
In 1 Corinthians 14:23, KW Paul critiques a worship service in
which "all speak with tongues." While Paul suggests this as a hypo-
thetical situation, it may reflect the misuse of tongues in Corinth.
Instead, Paul rules that: 1. Only two (or on rare occasions, three)
should speak in a tongue; 2. They should do so successively rather
than in unison; 3. The contributions in tongues should be interpreted.
Paul gives similar guidelines for the gift of prophecy (verses 29-33).
8.
Christian worship should be marked by orderliness and peace
(1 Cor. 14:33, 40).
Does Paul include the gift of tongues in his other lists of spir-
itual gifts? Rom. 12:6-8; Eph. 4:11.
For Paul, the gift of tongues should neither be required
(1 Cor. 12:30) nor forbidden (1 Cor. 14:39). Is it possible that
God would choose to revive a true expression of the gift?
91
Wednesday
March 11
MORE ABOUT TONGUES.
Which of the following statements is true? Why?
1.
The gift of tongues in 1 Corinthians is the same as that in
Acts 2—the Spirit-given ability to speak human languages
one has not learned. Paul writes to counsel the Corinthians
with regard to this gift, which is being over-emphasized and
misused. Acts 2 should be used to interpret 1 Corinthians
14.
2.
The gift of tongues in 1 Corinthians 14 is a gift of ecstatic
utterance given by the Spirit. Paul both affirms and regu-
lates the use of the gift in the context of public worship. The
gift may have served only a temporary function in Corinth
and may not be reflected in modern glossolalia. One must
attend carefully to the context of 1 Corinthians 14 before
comparing it to Acts 2.
In his book
Speaking in Tongues: Biblical Speaking in Tongues
and Contemporary Glossolalia
(Berrien Springs, Mich.: Adventist
Theological Society Publications, 1991), the late Gerhard Hasel ar-
gued for the first position above. Roland Hegstad, treated the topic in
Rattling the Gates
(Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald, 1974). He
provided an even-handed review of the arguments and admitted un-
certainty about the nature of the gift in Corinth (see pp. 52-77). He
adds an important note. Any ambiguity about the nature of the gift "is
far from saying that we are left without criteria by which to identify
modern tongues as Biblical or non-Biblical" (p. 69).
"They give themselves up to wild, excitable feelings and make
unintelligible sounds which they call the gift of tongues, and a certain
class seem to be charmed with these strange manifestations. A strange
spirit rules with this class, which would bear down and run over
anyone who would reprove them. God's Spirit is not in the work and
does not attend such workmen. They have another
spirit."—Testimo-
nies, vol.
1, p. 414.
Which of the directives provided by Paul do you think is most
important today?
It may be less important to come to determine the precise
nature of the gift of tongues at Corinth than to ponder carefully
the correctives offered by Paul. These provide boundaries by
which we may judge what is misused or false and concepts to
help evaluate our public worship.
92
Thursday
March 12
HOW TO WORSHIP (1 Corinthians 14).
It has been argued that 1 Corinthians 14:26-33 provides the
earliest account of a worship service. As you read the account,
what do you think such a service was like?
Two features of Paul's portrait of public Christian worship are very
significant. Paul envisions:
1.
A high degree of participation (1 Cor. 14:26).
In fact, the level of participation may have gotten out of hand!
Nonetheless, inviting broad participation is important. Are you a
spectator or a participant in worship?
2.
A high degree of concern for the "outsider."
What negative effects might uninterpreted tongues have on
"outsiders" in worship? 1 Cor. 14:13-17, 23.
What positive effects would prophecy have on "outsiders"?
1 Cor. 14:24, 25.
Paul has exalted hopes for the visitor who enters Christian worship.
He dares to hope that such a one will be "convinced by all that he is a
sinner" (verse 24, NIV) and join in the worship of God. Do we have
such goals for our services? Do we envision them as times when
nonbelievers may come to know the sweet joy of worshiping God? Do
we plan worship services that will be accessible and inviting to non-
members? Or are we only concerned about our own appetites for
worship?
"Our meetings should be made intensely interesting. They should
be pervaded with the very atmosphere of heaven. Let there be no long,
dry speeches and formal prayers merely for the sake of occupying the
time. All should be ready to act their part with promptness, and when
their duty is done, the meeting should be closed. Thus the interest will
be kept up to the last. This is offering to God acceptable worship. His
service should be made interesting and attractive and not be allowed
to degenerate into a dry form. We must live for Christ minute by
minute, hour by hour, and day by day; then Christ will dwell in us, and
when we meet together, His love will be in our hearts, welling up like
a spring in the desert, refreshing all, and making those who are ready
to perish, eager to drink of the waters of
life."—Testimonies,
vol. 5,
p. 609.
93
Friday
March 13
FURTHER STUDY:
See
Selected Messages,
vol. 3, pp. 362-378, for
a report of Ellen White's counsel to a couple who claimed that God
had given them the gift of tongues.
In 1 Corinthians 14:33-36, Paul argues that wives should be silent
in the church assembly. The placement of the passage suggests that
women were, in some way that is not explained, involved in the abuse
of the gift of tongues. The passage requires careful examination if we
are to apply it appropriately to our modern settings. As you study the
passage, keep the following points in mind:
1.
Paul's counsel is limited in that it does not concern all women,
but only wives of Christian men who are also present in the assembly.
Additionally, it is focused on how women learn rather than on ways in
which they minister (verse 35). The concern was that women learn
about theology in ways that did not cause disturbance in worship.
2.
The counsel is addressed to an ancient culture that had very
different standards for the behavior of wives than hold in many places
today. Plutarch says that a virtuous woman "ought to be modest and
guarded about saying anything in the hearing of outsiders" and that "a
woman ought to do her talking either to her husband or through her
husband."—Leon Morris,
Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians,
p. 197
(quoting Plutarch,
Advice to Bride and Groom,
pp. 31, 32).
3.
Since Paul has confirmed the public praying and prophesying of
women (1 Cor. 11:5, 13) and since women possessed the gift of
prophecy (see Acts 2:17, 18; 21:8, 9), the rule against women's
speaking in worship is not absolute. Seventh-day Adventists, after all,
believe that God granted the gift of prophecy to Ellen White.
4.
We must recall the early Christian house-church setting in which
there were no neat divisions between "Sabbath School" and "church."
If Paul's prohibition were taken directly to apply to all Christian
women today, women would need to be silent in all gatherings for
spiritual purposes, not just in the "church service."
5.
There is much to be learned from the passage. Paul is again (as in
1 Cor. 11:6) concerned about the good name of the young Christian
movement. He does not wish it to be "disgraced," but to move forward
in its mission. Do you value Christian mission as highly? And, are you
behaving in church gatherings in a way that facilitates the ability of
others to learn, worship, or come to faith?
SUMMARY:
Paul's treatment of spiritual gifts provides important
criteria by which the Christian can evaluate modern claims of the
Spirit's gifts. It also challenges us to invite the Spirit truly to renew
our public worship.
94
Sunday
March 15
OF FIRST IMPORTANCE (1 Corinthians 15, especially verses
1-11).
To what events does Paul point as the foundation of the Chris-
tian hope in the future resurrection? 1 Cor. 15:1-11.
As Paul nears the end of his first letter to the Corinthians, he takes
up yet another difficulty, a doctrinal one about the resurrection. Paul
asks, "How can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the
dead?" (1 Cor. 15:12).
It is difficult to know just what prompted such a view. It may have
been a return to ideas of their Greek culture about the immortality of
the soul and thus the impossibility of physical resurrection. Or it may
have represented a spiritualization of the concept of resurrection.
Does not conversion to Christian faith represent a "resurrection"?
Isn't the one who is baptized resurrected to walk in newness of life?
(Rom. 6:1-4). On this basis they may have argued that the resurrection
had already occurred.
Paul responds at length, and this thorough treatment leaves us in
his debt. How many have been heartened by Paul's deep convictions
about the Christian hope?
Which of the appearances of the resurrected Lord described by
Paul are also mentioned in the Gospels? 1 Cor. 15:5-8. Compare
Matthew 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John 20, 21.
Paul's account of Christ's appearances after His resurrection, prob-
ably the earliest in the New Testament, is a treasure trove. It mentions
an appearance to "five hundred" (Is this the same event as mentioned
in Matthew 28:16-20?). It also describes an appearance to James that
is not described in the Gospels and one to Cephas (Peter) that is only
briefly alluded to in Luke 24:34. And Paul includes himself as one
who has seen the risen Lord. He is presenting what he hopes will be
convincing evidence that Jesus Christ is indeed risen from the dead.
The appearance to James is probably to James, the Lord's brother,
who became a prominent Christian leader (Acts 15:13-21). Earlier in
Christ's ministry he was not a believer (John 7:5). Did he become one
as a result of Christ's appearance to him? (In Acts 1:14 Jesus' brothers
are already worshiping with the believers.)
Has your life been transformed by the reality of the risen
Christ? Share a brief testimony of your experience with the
class.
97
Monday
March 16
IF THERE IS NO RESURRECTION, THEN WHAT? (1 Cor.
15:12-19).
A friend at work asks, "Do you really believe that Christians
who have died will be resurrected?" How would you respond?
How did Paul respond in 1 Corinthians 15:12-19?
Paul is writing to his Christian converts, and so he adapts his
arguments about the resurrection for them. He argues that if there is
no future, bodily resurrection of believers, the following would be
true: 1. Christ would not have been raised (verses 13-17; the first
verses of the chapter have already provided Paul's arguments to the
contrary); 2. the work of Paul (and other Christian missionaries)
would be both futile and deceptive (verses 14, 15); 3. their own
Christian experience is useless and they are still in the grips of sin
(verses 14, 17, 19); 4. directly to the point, those believers who have
died have no future (verse 18). Paul is trusting that none of this will
sound like very good news to his audience! And, hopefully, this
realization will lead them to reconsider their views.
In what different ways is the view that there is "no resurrec-
tion" popular today? How dangerous is such a perspective?
A flood of television programming and movies proclaims in ways
both subtle and deceptive the world's enticement for the teaching of
reincarnation. Blending the thought of Eastern religions, ancient tra-
ditions, and New Age concepts, the media proclaim that human life
does not end, it endlessly reappears. Without watchfulness, this popu-
lar support for reincarnation may begin to corrupt our own faith in the
Christian hope. The idea of reincarnation is, in total, contrary to the
concept of resurrection.
Others today adopt a secular-humanist perspective and strongly
hold to the idea that death is the end. There is nothing more. And
many of our Christian friends, with their views of the immortality of a
disembodied soul and an ever-burning hell, offer an alternative that is
neither biblical nor appealing.
How can Seventh-day Adventists play a vital role today in
proclaiming with fervor the Christian hope of a future, bodily
resurrection founded on faith in the risen Lord? How can the
certainty of this hope have a transforming impact in your life
today as you relate to your family members and others around
you?
98
Wednesday
March 18
IMPERISHABLE BODIES (1 Cor. 15:35-50).
The advocates of "no resurrection" may have argued in this way:
Who would want to have these sinful, deformed bodies of ours raised?
For them, resurrection life would only be prolonging the agony of
earthly existence.
Among the illustrations provided by Paul to describe the differ-
ence between present bodies and resurrection bodies, which is
your favorite? Why? 1 Cor. 15:35-41.
In the continuing discussion, verses 42-50, Paul draws contrasts
between present bodies and those given by God at the resurrection. At
the resurrection, God's saints exist in bodily form—the age to come is
not for disembodied spirits! But the bodily existence of the future age
will not suffer the limitations and pain of our current lives. What God
has in store is dramatically different. Consider these contrasts high-
lighted in verses 42-50:
Current Life/Body
Resurrection Life/Body
perishable
imperishable
dishonor
glory
weakness
power
natural
spiritual
First Adam
Last Adam
of earth
of heaven
Comparing the two columns is a bit like being asked which of two
automobiles you would prefer to receive as a gift—a dilapidated,
ancient model in disrepair or a new, state-of-the-art model.
What do you find most attractive about the biblical teaching of
the resurrection?
"I confess openly, that I am not persuaded that they [dead
Christians] be already in the full glory that Christ is in, or the
elect angels of God are in. Neither is it any article of my faith;
for if it were so, I
see
not but then the preaching of the resurrec-
tion of the flesh were a thing in vain."—William Tyndale as
quoted in
The Great Controversy,
p. 547.
100
Thursday
March 19
"WHERE, 0 DEATH, IS YOUR STING?" (1 Cor. 15:51-58, MV).
When does the dramatic shift from present existence to resur-
rection life occur? 1 Cor. 15:51-57.
Paul wants to inform his readers of the timing of the change from
the perishable human body of the present to the imperishable body of
the resurrection. The climactic change in the Christian's wardrobe,
from "wearing" a perishable, mortal body to "wearing" an imperish-
able, immortal body occurs "at the last trumpet" (verses 52, 53; see
1 Thess. 4:13-18). It is at the Second Coming of Christ that the
believer receives a resurrection body.
As Paul concludes his ringing affirmation of the resurrection,
he again calls for corresponding Christian behavior. With what
words does he motivate Christians to live as resurrection-bound
people? 1 Cor. 15:58.
What response do these additional passages invite from Chris-
tians who await the blessed hope of the resurrection?
Titus 2:11-14
Acts 24: 15, 16
Phil. 3:10
"Amid the reeling of the earth, the flash of lightning, and the roar
of thunder, the voice of the Son of God calls forth the sleeping saints.
He looks upon the graves of the righteous, then, raising His hands to
heaven, He cries: 'Awake, awake, awake, ye that sleep in the dust, and
arise!' Throughout the length and breadth of the earth the dead shall
hear that voice, and they that hear shall live. And the whole earth shall
ring with the tread of the exceeding great army of every nation,
kindred, tongue, and people. From the prison house of death they
come, clothed with immortal glory, crying: '0 death, where is thy
sting? 0 grave, where is thy victory?' 1 Corinthians 15:55. And the
living righteous and the risen saints unite their voices in a long, glad
shout of victory."—The
Great Controversy,
p. 644.
What one word best expresses your emotion as you read this
paragraph?
101
Friday
March 20
FURTHER STUDY:
The Corinthians were not alone in thinking that
"there is no resurrection of the dead." Compare the erroneous views
described in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 2 Timothy 2:16-19. How do we
avoid such views today?
"Suppose that the trump of God should sound tonight, who is ready
to respond with gladness? How many of you would cry, 'Oh, stay the
chariot wheels; I am not ready?' Of how many would it be written, as
it was written of Belshazzar, 'Thou art weighed in the balances and art
found wanting?' To be wanting in that day is to be wanting forever;
for when Christ shall come in the clouds of heaven with power and
great glory, we must be all ready to be changed in a moment, in the
twinkling of an eye, and to be caught up to meet the Lord in the air.
Your only safety is in coming to Christ, and ceasing from sin this very
moment. The sweet voice of mercy is sounding in your ears to-day,
but who can tell if it will sound to-morrow?"—Ellen G. White,
The
Signs of the Times,
Aug. 29, 1892.
"The earth mightily shook as the voice of the Son of God called
forth the sleeping saints. They responded to the call and came forth
clothed with glorious immortality, crying, 'Victory, victory, over
death and the grave!
0
death, where is thy sting?
0
grave, where is thy
victory?' Then the living saints and the risen ones raised their voices
in a long, transporting shout of victory. Those bodies that had gone
down into the grave bearing the marks of disease and death came up in
immortal health and vigor. The living saints are changed in a moment,
in the twinkling of an eye, and caught up with the risen ones, and
together they meet their Lord in the air. Oh, what a glorious meeting!
Friends whom death had separated were united, never more to part."
—Early Writings,
p. 287.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.
What Christian relative or friend, now dead, do you most
long to see on resurrection day? Why? What do you imag-
ine doing or saying when you meet again?
2.
How can Seventh-day Adventists share more effectively the
biblical truth of the resurrection? How can you as an indi-
vidual do
so?
SUMMARY:
The biblical view of the resurrection is not a meaning-
less doctrine that meets no human need. It answers our human quest
for immortality in the way God plans, and it motivates us toward
loyalty to our risen Lord as we await the grand day of reunion with
believers who have died.
102
Witness Unaware
Edwin Ludescher
In some countries of Eastern Europe people still stand in line to
buy daily necessities. An Adventist woman stood in a long line to
buy milk. When she finally reached the front of the line, she gave
her order and paid the clerk for her milk. But the clerk gave her
too much in change. When she tried to return the extra money, the
clerk brushed her aside; she was busy with another customer. The
woman waited quietly until the clerk had finished with the cus-
tomer, then called her attention to the overpayment. The clerk
took the money, thanked her curtly, then turned to the next cus-
tomer. The Adventist woman smiled and turned to leave the store.
Two students standing in line had watched her. They wondered
why this woman returned the money. Most people would have
been glad for some extra change!
The following day the woman stood near the front of the same
line when a weary young mother carrying a little child in her arm
approached the front of the line. When the clerk saw her, she
scolded her sharply and demanded that she wait in line like
everyone else. The Adventist woman felt sorry for the weary
young mother and offered her place in line. Then she walked to
the end of the line and began her wait all over.
The same two students who had seen the money incident the
previous day, watched in amazement as this Christian woman
again acted generously to a stranger. They decided they had to
know what motives prompted such unusual behavior. They fol-
lowed the woman home and explained that they had seen her in
the market. They wondered why she was so different. She invited
them into her home and answered their questions. During their
conversation, she shared her faith in Jesus. As the students were
leaving, she invited them to come back again.
The students returned several times. In time they asked if they
could attend church with her so they could learn more about
Jesus, who made such a difference in her life.
We never know when we are being a testimony to others.
Through our prayers we can strengthen others as they witness to
their faith. Through our offerings we support the work others are
doing. And through our actions we can witness to our own faith,
and help others find the way to Jesus.
Edwin Ludescher recently retired as president of the Euro-Africa
Division.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness
103
Lesson 13
March 22-28
Praise and Promises
11
.
0
11.4-
aSiF - _= ,-.' I,. .r
qua..
111111wEawaigatio a
s
, ,
!...-
....11teiv
-
-.um.
.-'
,,,..1. • .14111,
.......
-
.
1r.,
-
(
4....rA.#111
1
1r
-..,-,...,•
.
,
---.7,7
opmg it
iu-A
ay.' ••'"*.11 or
• ••1;4,0
vitet v
)
11
,
4•
0-
7 • -11104
• .1
,
,,•••-,
/WO
414
0
,
; Iiiill.100
-
igit4t
-.
`
4
A44
,.
.....
INS"
iiii
i
tillItittir-s-
l
. • - ,,,
,
,
A ,..,
-
,:
-.
.iitiiiirio
PF_:-..,; 0. ;,, N
.
0111
100
8
L-..•
wig r
,
toonallisaltri'vb
4#7
,,
EF.
,
m-etz
2
1
10
P-
'-
'r-li; 1
1,0•0
r
all'aVisiffaiTimi
w
0-
0
1araiiiiiitlit”
-
.•
,S
*v
,
,.
1
.
1111111,
-`,:irgingilialiii.o.s.
,-
-
-,
mt
1 1:
11
4.--,..1, prairwridii4N
f
1
,A.4,,,
0
4
'- sr
,
' ' im --...
1
-0.-
.....
-
-„r-
-,
1
1
7.-10 • •
Au- a
......, a
r
i,
r al
i„,./. , ,
i
,,,,-*
'
i'
• =.4-dt-aivisoAr 1,4witar
o
.-1,,,,4 ....i. ,
e
t
.
4
*,4101111 nig lat
40
14
4
Iii
ir
latirt
i
r--.
11
1
,
are ,‘,1 gel..
afr
b
:ttisa"..
w
isthiiro'
14
,
-
If \*
,
7
4
4eaw
il
-
i
rfrV4Z
.
P
II.
4.4
,1
"
11
—iiii-_...
0
1
4
..,, •aiiigi...t.:.1.-
4
.t
,
-
4
—114,
* "
100
11
Al, Mg _...
.
qv —
..
'ir-
4
.. '
nil a r Tir," jgrivel rf '41:" • * q If r" gilt *
.
:
1
';;
1
"
.
4
.
4.)
,
••• At
‘t1,4.
-...,
'-
-
-•--
41
*.
,0,4
1*
e.?$:=.4017:114,Ar
il
iailV
i
t"
,
-'
11
I
.
"
4
_ .......
.....,It
s
k
1
"
1
"""jaZar.r.,-_-..ratt.
-
-
-
-rzmezimisviligssiami---amila
'A
d II
Sabbath Afternoon
READ FOR THIS WEEK'S STUDY: 1 Cor. 1:4-9; 3:21-23; 6:19,
20; 10:13; 13:12.
MEMORY TEXT: "No temptation has overtaken you except
such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not
allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the
temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be
able to bear it" (1 Corinthians 10:13, NKJV).
KEY THOUGHT:
It is through claiming God's promises and
participating in His praise that Christians are able to access the re-
sources of heaven.
CHRISTIANS NEED NIGHT VISION.
Every spring half a mil-
lion sandhill cranes,
en route
to points north, roost on the Platte River
in the United States. In their conservation efforts on behalf of the
cranes, biologists needed to see the invisible—thousands of cranes
gathering in the river at night. The Nebraska Air National Guard came
to the rescue. Aircraft, equipped with infrared sensors, were able to
"see" the cranes and aid in understanding their habits.
In this dark hour Christians need to be able to see what is real but
invisible to our unaided sight. The praise and promises of God's Word
provide "infrared sensors" that allow us access to spiritual realities. In
spite of the difficulties at Corinth, Paul finds reasons for praise to God
and opportunities to share powerful promises of His grace. In doing so
he provides each of us with our own "night scope." No matter how
dark the night, we can be equipped to see the light!
104
Sunday
March 22
GOD IS FAITHFUL (1 Cor. 1:4-9).
As Paul begins to craft 1 Corinthians, he is fully aware of the
problems he will tackle in the letter—factions, spiritual elitism, im-
morality, lawsuits among members, abuses of the Lord's Supper,
twisted uses of spiritual gifts, and wayward views of the resurrection.
Yet he models an important perspective for Christians who, with him,
face problems. He grounds his attempts to deal with them in praise to
God.
Paul looks toward the Second Coming and believes that the
members of the troubled congregations at Corinth will then be
found "guiltless." What fuels Paul's confidence? 1 Cor. 1:4-9.
Given the depth and variety of the problems in the churches of
Corinth, Paul must have been tempted to feel that his work for them
had been pointless. If so, Paul yields his own judgment to the Divine
One. For he cannot deny that God has blessed and endowed the
Corinthians. Whatever he may be tempted to think of them, the be-
stowal of grace and gifts confirms God's own judgment of their
worth. This feeds an additional idea that grips his mind and drives
his hope, a thought that motivates him to continue to admonish and
correct and to believe that those he addresses in Corinth are, in fact,
slated to be citizens of God's eternal kingdom: "God is faithful!"
Paul finds cause for praise and confidence in God's faithfulness.
Whatever the lapses of human behavior and belief, God has been in
the believers' experience from the start (verse 9), sustains them in the
present (verse 7), and promises to strengthen them until Christ's
return (verse 8).
What similar promises are contained in the New Testament?
Phil. 1:6; 1 John. 3:1-3. What other promises would you like to
add?
"We are not to look within for evidence of our acceptance with
God. We shall find there nothing but that which will discourage us.
Our only hope is in 'looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our
faith.' Hebrews 12:2. There is everything in Him to inspire with hope,
with faith, and with
courage."—Testimonies, vol.
5, pp. 199, 200.
Think of someone you know well who is facing strong spir-
itual challenges. On that person's behalf, offer your praise to
God and lay claim to the divine promises.
105
Thursday
March 26
FULLY KNOWN (1 Cor. 13:12).
Imbedded in Paul's exalted praise of divine love is another promise
to be treasured and claimed.
What heartening thoughts does Paul share in 1 Corinthians
13:12?
Among the encouraging ideas of 1 Corinthians 13:12 is that in
eternity we will not suffer from limited knowledge. Those things that
haunt us now will not trouble us then. Crisis, trauma, pain, and
injustice. How will they appear in the full knowledge of eternity?
If you had to choose just one mystery or troubling event that
you could have explained to you, what would it be?
First Corinthians 13:12 does not just offer a hopeful word about
our future knowledge. It offers an equally heartening reminder of
God's present knowledge. While our knowledge now is limited, God's
is not. Though we do not know God fully, He knows us completely
and employs that knowledge to our best good.
What does each of the following passages teach about God's
understanding of us?
Job 7:17, 18
Matt. 10:29-31
1 John 3:18-20
"When men go forth to their daily toil, as when they engage in
prayer; when they lie down at night, and when they rise in the morn-
ing; when the rich man feasts in his palace, or when the poor man
gathers his children about the scanty board, each is tenderly watched
by the heavenly Father. No tears are shed that God does not notice.
There is no smile that he does not mark.
"If we would but fully believe this, all undue anxieties would be
dismissed."—Steps
to Christ,
p. 86.
The grandest news of all is this: knowing us thoroughly, God
nonetheless longs for us to be part of His eternal kingdom! As
the song says, "The One who knows me best, loves me most."
109
THE ABUNDANT LIFE
BIBLE
AMPLIFIER
A
Practical Guide to
Abundam Christian Using
in the Book of
I COM
You Have
?
'
tillrs,„,.•.SA
At first glance this letter, written 2,000 years ago,
seem far removed from issues that are important or
Christians today. But take a closer look. Considqr this
mail too.
This newest volume in the excellent Bible Amplifier
commentary set is valuable for your 1998 first quarter
Sabbath School Bible study. You'll find it also encourages
and helps organize personal Bible study.
Let Larry Richards guide
you in your study of
1 Corinthians, and you will
begin to see how this ancient
letter is as up-to-date as the
latest self-help manual. This
volume takes you into the
New Testament world, and
helps you think and feel as
the early Christians did.
Then it brings you back to
today and shows you how
to apply what you have
learned to everyday situa-
tions and decisions.
Hardcover, US$17.99, Cdn$25.99.
Paper, US$12.99, Cdn$18.99.
Prices subject to change.
Pacific Press Publishing Association
Creating the future of Adventist publishing
Visit us at www.pacificpress.com
01997 Pacific Press Publishin
g
Association 72004/122
Look for the Bible
Amplifier at your
local ABC or call
1-800-765-6955.
ANDAMAN and
NICOBAR ISLAND ..
Bay of Bengal
Madras (Charm.
,
Bangalore
Mission Projects:
Girls' and Boys' Dormitories, Pinehill Adventist
Academy. Champai, Mizoram State.
Children's Home and School, Kashmir.
Girls' Dormitory, SDA High School, Vyara, Gujarat.
Redevelopment of Simla Sanitarium and Hospital.
Women's Dormitory, Spicer College, Pune.
AJIKISTAN
PAKISTAN
New Delhi
a
NagPur
MYANMAR
iombay
*
Pune
Indian Ocean
Hyderabad
ViShakhapaIndrri
Andaman Sea
Unions
Churches
Membership
Population
Central India
247
91,597
245,192,000
Northeast India
128
23,486
35,326,000
Northern India
149
28,015
520,867,000
South India
477
88,123
148,236,000
Andaman and Nicobar
Island Region
1
117
278,000
Himalayan Region
4
483
24,000,000
Totals Juno 39. 1996
,
1.006
23
1
821
973 900.000
S
SOUTHE
DIVISION
NEPAL
Kathmandu